1. Kashgar Dental Mission Xinjiang, China 18th to 26th September 2006
Dr. Shirley Yap
Dr. Chua Chee Haow
Dr. Jerry Lian

2. Kashgar from top of Kashgar People’s Number 1 Hospital
New City
Old City

3. (Kashgar is a prefecture of the province of Xinjiang in China
(Kashgar is a prefecture of the province of Xinjiang in China. The population in Xinjiang consists of mainly the minority races in China. They are the Uygurs, Mongolians, Kazats, descendants and mixed races from the Middle-East, Eastern Europe and Russia.
Historically, Kashgar had been the main trade route of the Silk Road, where culture, knowledge and products of the east and west met.
Recent efforts by the Central Government to develop and populate this province with Chinese from other provinces have lead to an increased number in Chinese in Xinjiang.)

5. Weekend animal market

6. Atria-Pan Dental Group was invited by the FIDA International in Kashgar to support the launch of their oral health program. FIDA International was working in collaboration with the Kashgar Prefecture Health Bureau to improve the living conditions of the people through raising awareness and educating them about their environment, health and hygiene. Examples of the projects that were carried out included training of village health workers, improving of communal toilets in the villages, sourcing of potable water etc. FIDA International funded most of these projects.

9. We worked with professionals from Kashgar People’s Number 1 and 2 Hospitals, Kashgar Prefecture Health Bureau, Yopurga People’s Hospital, private practice, FIDA International, Yopurga Health Bureau and Yopurga TV Station.

10. Yopurga People’s Hospital
Kashgar People’s Number 1 Hospital
Yopurga TV Station
Private Dental Clinic

11. Our mission was to educate and raise awareness of good oral health starting with school children, and to involve and motivate local dentists to realize their role in raising the standards of dental healthcare in their community.

12. End of a hard day’s work..
From left : Three village health workers, Dr Zamina from Yopurga People’s Hospital, Dr Shirley Yap, principle of Village Number 9 Primary School Aqqik Township, village health worker, Dr Chua Chee Haow, Dr Kasim head of oral and maxillofacial surgery department of Kashgar People’s Number 1 Hospital and Mr Karim from FIDA International
Back : Dr Jerry Lian

13. Number 9 Primary School
Two schools in Yopurga County, Village Number 9 Primary School Aqqik Township and Village Number 4 Primary School Ashma Township were selected as models for dental healthcare. This would help set up dental healthcare structures and improve community dental care network in the villages.

14. Over 450 students received dental screenings and dental-care education by the dental professionals.

16. Dental health drawing competition

17. Judging the artwork..
The importance of tooth brushing, diet and dental disease was reinforced through a drawing competition which was organized in conjunction with a national “China Love Teeth Day” event.

18. A total of 2 principals, 26 teachers and 20 village doctors received dental care lessons from the dental professionals. They learnt the right tooth brushing technique and how to perform simple dental screening of school children.

19. Approximately 140 students were treated for dental problems, of which 94 cases were dental fillings and 46 cases were dental extractions.

20. A hands-on seminar was conducted to teach modern Root Canal techniques as well as “ART” techniques, which would be convenient and useful in rural areas.

21. Hands-on session

22. Explaining “ART” to local healthcare workers

25. The project was well received
The project was well received. The success of the oral health program will require continuous support and reinforcement in many years to come.

28. The End