President of FDI World Dental Federation visits Manav Rachna University

Ø It is the first visit by Dr Roberto Vianna to a Dental college in India

Ø Visit aimed to raise awareness and advantages of oral Health among masses through discussions

Dr Roberto Vianna, FDI World Dental Federation’s President visited Manav Rachna International University campus today. Manav Rachna Dental College becomes the first college in India where Dr. Roberto Vianna has visited. Manav Rachna Educational Institution (MREI) is one of the well known and prestigious education providers in India, providing world class education to students from all over the country.

Dr. Roberto Vianna, President FDI was greeted by Dr A.K Kapoor, Principal, Manav Rachna Dental College. Dr Roberto Vianna appreciated Manav Rachna’s efforts in providing International education to students in India and giving them a global platform. He also appreciated the dedication of faculty to assist students in providing them with the best skills and knowledge to meet the global challenges. He said mentioned that Manav Rachna has proved to be a resource of Knowledge providing achievement and competency based curriculum and academic infrastructure.

In his keynote lecture, Dr. Roberto Vianna said, “I would like to emphasize the role of oral health in the well being of a person - the most common disease worldwide is tooth decay. I am overwhelmed to see the initiatives taken by the University for taking dental education to a higher level.”

“The promotion of health, with oral health as an integral component, has been recognized as one of the key factors for a successful and productive society. Health directly correlates with quality of life of both individuals and society, and also with economic and social development of countries as a whole”, he further added.

The FDI World Dental Federation, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland was established in Paris in 1900 as the Fédération Dentaire Internationale, is the world's leading organization representing the dental profession. The FDI currently has 156 member associations from 137 nations and territories, representing almost a million dentists worldwide. One of the main objectives of FDI is to facilitate the exchange of information among dentists worldwide.

Speaking at the occasion, Dr. O.P Bhalla, Hon'ble Chancellor MRIU said, “Both the private and public sector dental specialties are challenged to meet the needs of an ever-growing Indian population who cannot regularly access oral health care. Our aim is to produce competent dentists, specialists, and super specialists. Manav Rachna International University’s Dental College took the initiative to generate awareness about dental education and its need in Indian society.”

A new analysis of recent research has revealed gum disease may represent a far more serious threat to the health of millions of Indians than previously realized. These studies found that periodontal (gum) infection may contribute to the development of heart disease, the nation's number one cause of death, increase the risk of premature, underweight births, and pose a serious threat to people whose health is already compromised due to diabetes and respiratory diseases.

"It seems clear that gum disease, far from being just an oral health problem, actually represents a significant health risk to millions of people," said Dr Pankaj Dhawan, Dean, Manav Rachna Dental College, expert on oral health related issues.

"Periodontal disease is characterized by inflammation and bacterial infection of the gums surrounding the teeth. The bacteria that are associated with periodontal disease can travel into the bloodstream to other parts of the body, and that puts health at risk," said Dr. Dhawan. "People think of gum disease in terms of their teeth, but they don't think about the fact that gum disease is a serious infection that can release bacteria into the bloodstream. The end result could mean additional health risks for people whose health is already affected by other diseases -- or lead to serious complications like heart disease.

"Many Indians have oral exams each year to check for cavities and tooth decay. This research shows it is equally important to pay attention to gums. Having a periodontal screening and evaluation could help protect the overall health of millions," said Dr. Dhawan. The session witnessed the discussions on the developments of the field wherein the faculty from Manav Rachna Dental College and shared advances, perspectives, new ideas, ways and means to avoid failures and breakthrough concepts in Oral Health.

To help people learn more about this health concern, MRDC is launching a national public education campaign, where questions about oral health and gum disease will be answered by Dr Pankaj Dhawan, and educational materials on the link between gum disease and heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease and premature, low birth weight births.