Community care: The multidisciplinary team from UM posing for a photo with the centre’s residents.
THANKS to a team of Universiti Malaya (UM) dentistry and pharmacy undergraduates, a programme was recently conducted to raise oral and health awareness and provide basic oral screening for individuals with intellectual disabilities at a centre in Kuala Lumpur.
The community outreach initiative, dubbed 3D (Dental, Diabetes & Disability), was led by the varsity’s Faculty of Dentistry lecturer Dr Jessica Francis, and held on April 23 at IQ70+.
As part of the programme, dental students conducted oral health screenings, offering simple and gentle check-ups to assess the dental condition of each participant. These screenings helped identify oral health issues and provided an opportunity to share basic guidance on hygiene and care.
To complement the screenings, the students also conducted oral health education sessions using interactive teaching tools such as visual aids and demonstrations to teach proper tooth-brushing techniques and the importance of a healthy diet.
The goal was to ensure participants could understand and adopt good oral hygiene habits in an enjoyable and accessible way.
Additionally, pharmacy students provided random blood glucose screening for participants.
This quick and non-invasive test aimed to raise awareness about diabetes and general health, while also identifying individuals who may require further medical attention.
To create a fun and supportive environment, the team organised health-themed games and activities designed specifically for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
These games helped reinforce the health messages while encouraging joyful participation and social interaction.
This collaborative outreach not only benefited the residents of IQ70+, but also gave students a valuable hands-on experience in providing inclusive care to a community often overlooked in conventional healthcare access.
It demonstrated the importance of interdisciplinary teamwork in health promotion and highlighted the compassion, dedication and professionalism of our future healthcare providers, a press release from UM read.
