[Unpad Media Channel] A team of Universitas Padjadjaran Faculty of Dentistry (FKG) professors carried out a community service project, which included outreach programs and free dental check-ups, to two schools in Merauke regency, South Papua on June 10-11. The event was funded by the Alumni UK-Indonesia Social Action Grant 2024 on behalf of the British Council.
The team consisted of Erli Sarilita, drg., Ph.D., who also acted as the project leader, and Indra Hadikrishna, drg. The project also involved an FKG alumnus from Papua, Dr. Johanes Tebai, drg., three dentists who are members of PDGI Merauke, as well as five Universitas Musamus Merauke students who did a student exchange program to Unpad.
Sarilita explained to Unpad Media Channel that two elementary schools in the area, SD YPPK Yos Sudarso and SD Inpres Tambat. Based on a survey conducted by the five Universitas Musamus students, the two schools’ students are most in need of free dental care.
“Their overall dental and oral health are not that different to Indonesian children in general. It’s just that they have difficulties accessing BPJS-covered dental care facilities because of their great distance,” she explained.
After the survey results, Sarilita and her team started their community service activities in Merauke in earnest. Furthermore, Merauke is designated as a 3T region in Indonesia, a designation denoting the most remote and underdeveloped regions in Indonesia and considered to be of high priority. Therefore, access to healthcare facilities in such areas may not be as easy as in other regions.
In response, the project has garnered positive feedback from the Merauke government, including from their branch of PDGI (Indonesian Dentists Association). The team was also fortunate to have met with Dr. Tebai, an alumnus of Unpad FKG who is the Head of Public Health and Infectious Disease Control at the Central Papua Office of Health and Planned Parenthood.
Furthermore, the team also received help in the form of health products on behalf of Pepsodent to be given out to students of the schools. After struggling with limited equipment and materials, as well as access to Merauke itself, the team was finally successful in their community service mission.
Sarilita explained that the team managed to run their outreach and dental care program for 59 students at SD YPPK Yos Sudarso, and 61 students and 3 teachers at SD Inpres Tambat.
The University of Dundee alumna also explained that the team did not only educated and carried out dental health procedure while they were there. They also urged the local children to continue their education to a high level.
“We observed that the students often discontinue their education because of financial and cultural struggles. I encourage them to continue their education to a junior high school, high school, and university level, so they can help support their families further,” Sarilita said.
During the activities there, most of the students proved to be enthusiastic towards the program. “This is a realization of Unpad’s care for our brethren in Papua,” she concluded. (ICP)*
