Close to the city, far from service: A dental health camp in Nayapati, Nepal
June 22, 2025
How this year’s health camp brought many healthy smiles to where it’s needed most.
The need for better dental healthcare in Nepal
There is a widespread misconception about children’s oral health. Many people believe that, since milk teeth eventually fall out, they don’t need care or maintenance. This mindset leads young children and their parents to neglect dental hygiene and care from a very young age. At the same time, there is a lack of knowledge about food that promotes dental and overall health and a child’s development. Cheap, sugary snacks are available everywhere, contributing to widespread dental health problems such as tooth decay, cavities, and early tooth loss among children. These issues can impede jaw growth, chewing, and speech development.
Taking action together for the benefit of the next generation
As part of our annual health outreach program, Akasha Academy hosted a one-day dental health camp at Bhimdev Adharbhut Bidhyalaya, a government school in Nayapati. When we initially reached out to the school, we learned that they had only held a dental check-up once in the previous two years, and that the majority of students had never had a dental check-up before. In collaboration with Kantipur Dental College Teaching Hospital & Research Centre (KDCH), we decided to change that.
Despite the monsoon rain and difficult roads, the dental team arrived on Friday, June 20, 2025, with their equipment, ready to provide their services. As a result, around 160 people, including all students and some members of the local community, underwent dental check-ups and treatment.
Building healthier lives through awareness and education
However, the camp offered more than dental checkups and treatments: One of the highlights of the day was the nutrition exhibition led by the students of the Akasha Traineeship. The exhibition focused on topics related to different food groups, a balanced diet, the importance of drinking water, the disadvantages of consuming highly processed food and soft drinks as well as the benefits and drawbacks of drinking tea, coffee for healthy teeth and overall wellbeing.
To help the students and teachers understand the deeper connection between diet, strong teeth and good health, the Akasha trainees engaged them with interactive games, posters, models and displays of food items as well as tooth-brushing demonstrations.
On that day, the children from Bhimdev Adharbhut School returned home with healthier teeth and big smiles. They also left the camp equipped with essential knowledge about oral health and nutrition, along with a promise to share it with their family, friends and community.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made this year’s health camp a success!
We’re especially grateful to the dedicated dentists of KDCH, the school management committee and administration, our Akasha traineeship students, the brave and curious children, and of course, our generous donors – your commitment made it all possible. Together, we’ve created something truly meaningful!
Because every little step we take results in long-lasting change in places where it’s needed most.
Writer
Ojashvi Ojha, a public health professional, works as a Health Officer at Akasha Academy Nepal. Her primary objective is to enhance community’s health and well-being by empowering women.
