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16 Dental Tribune Middle East & Africa Edition | January - February 2014Pediatric Tribune Pediatric Dentistry at the Faculty of European University College. We interview Dr. Dina Debaybo to find out the plans for the com- ing year for the newly found EPDC. DTME: Dr. Dina, Congratula- tions on your president elect po- sition and the great achievement of forming the Emirates Pediat- ric Dental Club. Could you intro- duce yourself shortly? Dr. Dina Debaybo: I trained as a dentist at Saint Joseph University in Beirut Lebanon then moved to pursue my specialty in the USA where I was awarded a Certifi- cate of Advanced Graduate Stud- ies (CAGS) and a Masters’ (MSc) in pediatric dentistry. Upon graduation I moved to Dubai in 1991 where I held different posi- tions in Dubai Health Authority and the Ministry of Health for 16 years. An experience that re- ally shaped me as a professional in skills, ethics and values. I met exceptional leaders such as Dr Tariq Khoory (Head Dental Services, Dubai Health Author- ity DHA) and Dr Aisha Sultan (Head of Dental Chapter Emir- ates Medical Association EMA and Head of Dental Services, Ministry of Health in Northern Emirates). I then got involved in establishing the Dubai campus of the Boston University School of Graduate Dentistry project in Dubai Health Care City. It was an eye opener on academics in post graduate education. In 2010 I joined the first Pediatric Dentist- ry Center in the UAE, established by Dr Elhami Nicolas as part of the Nicolas and Asp Dental Cent- ers, where preventive and com- prehensive services are offered within the scope of practice of the American Academy of Pedi- atric Dentistry (Guidelines of the APD). Please elaborate on the process behind the formation of the EPDC and its members? The pediatric dentistry commu- nity has evolved and blossomed to reach more than 100 profes- sionals within the last 4 years with the establishment of the post graduate pediatric dentistry programs in the UAE and with the influx of specialists from overseas. Joining efforts with the mission to provide quality care to younger ones can better be ren- dered by gathering all efforts and joining in the path of excellence. Each child in the UAE has a fun- damental right to his complete oral health care. The Emirates Pediatric Dentistry Club has a dutiful obligation to ensure that all children living in UAE receive high-quality and accessible oral health care. What are the plans for the com- ing year 2014 for you and the EPDC? The plan for our members is to provide advanced specialized continuing dental education for pediatric dentists. We are look- ing forward to working closely with The European University College for their hosting of the European Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (EAPD/MENA Middle East chapter and North Africa) chapter from 27th until the 29th of March 2014. We are also plan- ning to have collateral sessions during the Asia Pacific Dental Congress (APDC) from 14th un- til 17th June 2014. Also on the agenda is a side event to AEEDC from 5th until 7th of February 2014. On a larger scale we will be trying to establish close net- ted cooperation with the already established GCC Pediatric Den- tistry Associations since we do face the same prevalence and in- cidences of oral health diseases in children. What are some of the biggest challenges for Prevention and Oral Health awareness in the Emirates? Evidence based research has provided us with data relevant to the caries index in the UAE. The index of caries in 6 year old children is 8 to 9. More explicitly, it reveals 8 to 9 carious primary teeth in the oral cavity of a 6 year old. The basic need of chewing is jeopardized leaving children vic- tim to soft diet. Multiple episodes of emergencies due to dental pain are witnessed, whereby children miss school and expe- rience severe episodes of spon- taneous pain at night. Speech problems arise since the pho- netics of letters rely on the pala- tal surfaces of upper and lower anterior teeth. Esthetic issues aggravate already challenges of bullying at school with missing front teeth or unaesthetic image of large carious anterior dark le- sions. At last but not least, loss of space due to premature extrac- tion of primary teeth and loss of mesio-distal diameter have seen an influx of rise in orthodontics needs. How does the EPDC plan to el- evate the level of dental hygiene awareness and promote pre- ventative oral health measures across UAE? We know that changing habits is verychallenging.Inorderforitto be successful it has to follow the bio-psych- social model where the habit is treated as a commu- nity based initiative where we work closely with government entities (Dubai Health Authority and Ministry of Health) to help in their already established ex- tensive oral health programs starting with pregnant mothers, moving to pediatricians during infants vaccine visits, involv- ing media and working closely with school health programs. It will also involve including pre- ventive treatment programs for permanent teeth as soon as they erupt (Fissure sealants). We will attempt to help out in the differ- ent levels of this chain reaction. Close cooperation has already been established with large oral health private players on the market who plan to help us out as part of their citizen responsi- bility initiative of giving back to the community (Procter & Gam- ble, Johnson and Johnson and Glaxo Smith Kline corporations). Would you like to share addition- al information with the readers? The establishment of the Pedi- atric Dentistry Chapter of the Emirates Medical Association is aimed at making a difference in children’s’ lives, all children, healthy and less healthy chil- dren. The community is faced with new challenges with Chil- dren with Special Needs. Behav- ior problems under the larger umbrella of Autism Spectrum Disorder is adding more difficul- ties to families. Working closely with all community groups is our daily endeavor. We will keep trying and learning in the long journey towards a caries free community. Sincerest thanks for your close interest in Pediatric Dentistry. > Page 15 Dr.DinaDebaybo +971506255146 dinadebaybo@yahoo.com Drs.NicolasandAspDentalCenter (Jumeirah1PediatricBranch) P.O.Box53382 Dubai, U.A.E. tel.+97143497477 fax.+97143443006 Contact Information