Spring 2025 was a time when concepts such as prevention, awareness, and good oral hygiene habits flourished. And, as with any success worth celebrating, this one should be recognised. The fourth edition of the Preventing Oral Health and Malocclusions Project, promoted by the MSc in Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics at UniCamillus University, officially ended on 28th May with a ceremony held at the University’s auditorium.
This free initiative began on 11th March this year and involved around 450 primary and middle school students from the Istituto Comprensivo Piersanti Mattarella based in Rome’s Casal Bertone-Collatino neighbourhood.
The project provides free dental check-ups for young patients aged between 6 and 14 who attend local schools. Each year, a different school is involved in the project. The check-ups are carried out by UniCamillus tutors and observed by second-year MSc Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics students, enabling them to study paediatric oral health issues first-hand and providing children with free dental check-ups and advice on maintaining good oral hygiene.
The final event brought all the protagonists of the project together on stage: children, teachers, school managers, UniCamillus students and tutors. This celebrated a project that combined clinical and educational aspects and conveyed a strong message of prevention, humanity and awareness. The result was excellent!
A project created by the community for the community
The first person to express enthusiasm and a desire to discuss what had happened in recent months was Annarita Tiberio, head of the Piersanti Mattarella school. “I am honoured to have taken part in a project linked to an ethical mission such as the UniCamillus Third Mission“, she said happily. “I first heard about this project a year ago from other head teachers who had participated in past editions and had only good feedback to share”. This participation reflects the values of the school, which believes deeply in civic education and training in prevention and health.
Indeed, the school is already part of the Lazio network of schools promoting health and has integrated the project into its educational activities. Secondary school science teachers have developed interdisciplinary courses focusing on oral hygiene, nutrition, dentition and the skeleton. “It was a comprehensive project, which offered not only information, but also personal development”, confirmed Marika Muzzillo of the Piersanti Mattarella school. The results were clearly visible in the skilful creation of a poster, which the middle school students proudly presented on stage. This demonstrated that they had learnt how teeth are formed, the difference between permanent teeth and deciduous teeth (also known as ‘baby’ teeth) and how to keep them healthy.
However, it was not only about education and awareness. Many secondary school children have to decide what they want to do when they grow up. Encountering our future dentists was fascinating for them and made them want to pursue a career in dentistry. “That is why, for secondary school students, we have also included dentists in our orientation project“, explained Tiberio. “Our students have become aware of both this profession and of UniCamillus University. They have become very curious, as they will need to choose the profession they want to enter when they finish high school”. In short, from young patients to possible future dentists!
From being afraid of the dentist to being afraid of braces!
The project also helped to break down stereotypes and overcome fears. “Many of the children, especially the youngest, had never had a dental check-up before. However, despite their initial fear of meeting the ‘infamous dentist’, the experience they shared with their classmates was reassuring and constructive“, Tiberio observed. “It was precisely the young age of the university students assisting with the check-ups that put the children at ease, presenting them as positive, professional and joyful figures at the same time”.
“It was also a great opportunity for us”, said Marco Bravi, the UniCamillus student representative who met the children in the schools. “We learnt a lot, and we are happy to have contributed to dispelling the idea that dentists are scary!”
In this regard, one touching and funny moment was when the primary school children presented a video, which they had dubbed themselves. The cartoon told the story of a young child going to the dentist for the first time. Initially terrified, the young protagonist stated at the end of the check-up that he did not feel any pain, thus recognising that his initial fears were unfounded.
However, the fear of going to the dentist is not only related to physical pain. Annamaria Lembo from the Piersanti Mattarella school emphasised the emotional side of the relationship with our appearance and, consequently, our smile. “Many middle school children wear orthodontic braces and sometimes experience discomfort during this phase. Thanks to this project, the topic was approached with a sense of peacefulness and peer support: an opportunity to avoid feeling alone or ‘different'”.
UniCamillus is at the service of the youngest
In her speech, Professor Paola Cozza, Head of the MSc in Dentistry at UniCamillus and initiator of the project, emphasised the beauty of a programme that “brings together younger and older students every year who share a desire to learn about oral health issues”.
“This project embodies the essence of our Third Mission“, added Roberta Lione, UniCamillus lecturer and scientific coordinator alongside Giuseppina Laganà. “In this way, UniCamillus takes medicine outside campus and establishes a real connection with the local community. At UniCamillus, we believe that a medical practitioner should be empathetic above all else, not just a healthcare professional. This is why we prioritise human education as well as technical training“.
As Lione pointed out, UniCamillus cares about children, who embody “innocence, the sweetness of human relationships, and hope for the future”. This is why she announced the opening of a dental clinic at the university for the children of the neighbouring area, to ensure continuity of care and consolidate the link with the local community.
It is a shared human, scientific and educational journey. A small seed of awareness that can grow stronger day by day, thanks to projects like this.
