Government and Policy

Singer leads campaign of dental health awareness

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-09-10 22:20

Tan Jing sings in this Aug 25, 2010 file photo in Beijing. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING -- The Ministry of Health (MOH) plans to organize a series of activities later this month to improve dental health awareness among Chinese, a ministry spokesman said here Friday.

The ministry has appointed Chinese singer Tan Jing as a dental health advocate, and has made 100,000 posters and three promotional videos for the upcoming Teeth Care Day which falls on September 20, said MOH spokesman Deng Haihua at a press conference held by the ministry.

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According to the third national survey on dental illness released in 2006, 66 percent of the country's five-year-olds suffered from teeth decay, compared with 30 percent in European countries. More than 97 percent of these children's conditions were left untreated, according to the survey.

Past reports have indicated the country has a shortage of more than 70,000 dentists.

China launched its first national Teeth Care Day in 1989. This year's theme for the day is "Close the Ditch and Protect Teeth" which is aimed to create greater dental health awareness among the public, according to the official.

Deng said Chinese in general still lack knowledge about dental health, though the ministry has launched the national dental health care working plan (2004-2010), while a nationwide campaign has been carried out to create public awareness, train dentists, and adopt medical measures to prevent dental diseases among children.

Since 2008, the central government has allocated special funds, totaling 52.28 million yuan (US$7.7 million) for closing the teeth ditch for local children in the underdeveloped central and western provinces and municipalities, he said.