Dental project launched to benefit public schools

In its commitment to corporate social responsibility, the Juanito I. King Foundation Inc. (JIKFI), the social development arm of the King Group of Companies, launched the “Iwas Gingivitis” project last Aug. 12-14.

The launching activities were held at the beneficiary schools in the cities of Mandaue and Cebu and attended by JIKFI executive director Kenneth King, Cebu Dental Chapter president Dr. Paciencia Belarmino and Lucelyn Suan, a Mandaue City and Cebu City Schools Division dentist.

This project is sponsored by MSY Charitable Foundation Inc., Visayan Surety Insurance, Ateneo de Cebu Alumni Association, Cebu Landmasters, Inc. and RDAK Transport.

The Iwas Gingivitis Project is a sub-project of the foundation’s Mobile Dental Project, in cooperation with the Cebu Dental Chapter which aims to improve their oral health and prevent gingivitis among grade 5 pupils in the beneficiary schools.

The project will run for seven months and cater to more than 700 students from Pardo Extension School, Hipodromo Elementary School in Cebu City and Ibabao-Estancia Elementary School, Tabok II Elementary School and Don Calixto Yongco Elementary School in Mandaue City.

A total of 750 toothbrushes are now being prepared for distribution along with the regular dental education and tooth brushing drill in order to develop good oral care habits.

Tooth scaling and polishing are also done every thee months to help maintain the degree of oral fitness among the beneficiaries.

At the end of the school year, the children will then undergo a final assessment to evaluate the impact of the project.

The foundation’s two mobile dental vans travel around Cebu City, Mandaue City and Cebu province to provide basic dental services to the indigents five times a week while the second dental van focuses on dental education and wellness for public school children.

JIKFI accepts dental mission request for indigent groups. Interested parties may contact John at 4158330 local 802 for more information or visit the JIFKI office on the second floor of Cebu Holdings Centre, Cebu Business Park.