From hidden smiles to radiant confidence: Dental revolution in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar district

Chennai: During a routine school inspection over a year ago, Virudhunagar District Collector V P Jayaseelan noticed a young girl hiding her smile by covering her mouth. Curious, the bureaucrat approached her and discovered she had protruding teeth, which caused her to conceal her smile.

That is when Jayaseelan realised how dental deformities like protruding teeth (malocclusion) could snatch the confidence of children and asked the health department to survey students with such conditions in government schools across the district.

Thus, Malarum Punnagai (Blossoming Smiles) was born. After a detailed discussion, district ministers helped raise funds through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contributions for undertaking this project. The initiative, which provides corrective dental interventions, has so far restored confidence to about 300 children in the age group of 13 to 16 with significant orthodontic needs.

“We felt the need to devise a scheme to help such children as we noticed during our interactions with the children that they lacked confidence to show their teeth in public. Over the past 18 months, 302 children have received treatment for various dental deformities,” Jayaseelan told DH.

Since orthodontic treatment, classified as cosmetic, is not covered by insurance and costs Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000, the district administration sought to reduce expenses.

“We signed an MOU with Nala Dental Care in Madurai to provide treatment for Rs 12,000 per child. Transportation to and from Madurai and other incidental charges are covered by us. This scheme is entirely funded by CSR contributions,” he explained.

Dharshini V, a 9th standard student whose protruding teeth have been set right now, beams with confidence. “Even my classmates used to make fun of my teeth. But after a health screening, I was taken to Madurai for treatment. I am confident of facing anyone now,” a smiling Dharshini said.

Following the success of the first phase, the district administration is planning a second phase to identify and treat more students with dental deformities. Officials said the state government is also mulling replicating the scheme across Tamil Nadu by identifying students with such conditions.

The students were selected through special screening camps organised by the Office of the District Health Officer (DHO), Virudhunagar district with the help of Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) teams at government schools.

“The entire treatment protocol takes about 18 to 24 months. It depends from child to child, based on their condition. Before sending the children to Madurai, we screen them and identify their problems. Most importantly, parents’ consent is sought,” a senior health official said.

The official said some children needed extra care and warranted treatment even after getting braces. “Some children also felt braces were painful and uncomfortable,” the official said. "Many students are very eager to get treated after seeing their peers with smiling faces. More students will be covered in the second phase of the scheme,” RBSK team doctors told DH.