CODEH is the acronym for Committee on Dental Education and Health.
The first Chairperson of CODEH in Unibadan Association of Dental Students (UADS) was Adejoke Atanda (now Dr. (Mrs) Adejoke Fatunde). She is an Orthodontist in Texas in the United State of America.
The Committee on Dental Health is a sub-committee of the Association that organizes oral Health visits. These visits are held on a monthly basis provided funds are available or sponsorship is gotten from interested companies, organizations, or foundations.
The programs include:
- Provision of free dental treatment
- Visits to markets, motor parks, schools, etc. to examine individuals and members of the community. And to sensitize them on the menace posed by poor oral health care and to give them advice/guidance regarding various ailments that could be encountered during the programme.
Distribution of dentifrices (toothpaste/toothbrushes etc) and promotional materials free of charge during the visits.
Health and dietary counseling.
The sensitization of our target community on our sponsors' products - The regular organization of this program has not only made dentistry more known around the community but has actually lent a helping hand to people with various oral/dental diseases and even to others who have benefited immensely from the oral health talks given at such programs. The result has been the provision of care and support to patients.
The school's dental clinics can attest adequately to the impact on society by the result of the follow-up treatment sought by patients attended to at various CODEH visits. Based on this program and numerous other special programs over the years, UADS as an association has contributed in no little way to the development of the community within the confines of our limited resources.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF CODEH
- Increase awareness on oral care.
- To provide counseling about the possible causes of dental problems.
- Intercept systemic diseases that can have oral manifestations.
- Encourage volunteerism among our members.
- Provide monthly care for society.
- Data collection for the effect of fluoride on teeth.
- Encourage corporate responsibility.
- Advertisement of sponsors' products.
IMPACT SO FAR
Due to the sensitive nature of the health need provided by our profession, the Association through her visionary past leaders has laid a foundation of impacting positively on her community through CODEH health visits.
Within the last five years, UADS through CODEH has attended to over five thousand people, averaging about one thousand people in a year.
The conditions of these people range from the gross accumulation of plaques and calculus to grade 3 mobility of different teeth.
Over three thousand people out of the five thousand were treated at the CODEHs venue while the remaining two thousand people were referred for further treatment.