Department of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry

The specialty of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry continues to strive to provide evidence based interdisciplinary high quality and safe oral health care for children visiting the department of Pediatric Dentistry while endeavoring to improve the Oral health care of children from birth through to adolescence and also for children and individuals with special health care needs.

The department had the opportunity to provide various types of dental treatment to around 10,693 children during the calendar year January 2018 to December 2018.

The clinic for oral health care of children with clefts which functions as a part of the department of Pedodontics, received 22 referrals which included self-referrals and referrals from the department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and the department of Plastic Surgery of the Goa Medical College. The children referred were examined, evaluated and assessed. Customized oral health plans were developed for them based on their individual needs.

A collaborative effort has been undertaken with the Pediatric District Neuro-rehabilitation center, to detect dental disease in its initial stages and to provide anticipatory guidance to parents of children with special needs. This is in addition to the special needs clinic in the department of Pedodontics.

There has also been a synergistic effort undertaken with the Department of Plastic Surgery to decrease the incidence of dental decay among children with cleft lip and palate. A similar plan also exists with the Department of Pediatrics at Goa Medical College.

A training program for dentists at district hospitals has also been scheduled as a part of the early intervention program started by the Department of Child and family welfare, Government of Goa.

Faculty
Types of Treatment
Academics
Highlights
Photo Gallery
Faculty

• Professor & HOD: Dr. Steven J L Rodrigues
• Assistant Professors: Dr. Paul Chalakkal & Dr. Elaine Barretto                                                                                                
• Lecturers: Dr. Siya Dukle, Dr. Dinesh F Swamy                                         
• Senior Resident: Dr. Rashmi Naik & Dr. Nessa John                                                                                                                                                           
• Staff Nurse:  Yogini M. Naik , Valeska Carneiro & Sneha Gaude                                                                                                    
• Attendant: Sugandha Tirodkar                                                                                                          
• Sweeper: Sagar Holkar

Types of Treatment

1. RESTORATIVE PROCEDURES AND CROWNS: It encompasses restoration of cavities by materials like glass ionomer cements or composites. Stainless steel crowns are also used.
2. ENDODONTIC PROCEDURES: It encompasses procedures like pulpotomy, pulpectomy, apexification or regenerative endodontics.
3. SPACE MAINTAINERS: These appliances need to be placed if primary teeth exfoliate or need to be extracted before the normal age of exfoliation. They prevent space loss due to teeth movement into the edentulous space.
4. REMOVABLE ORTHODONTIC APPLIANCES: Minor tooth malpositions may be corrected using these.
5. ORAL HYGIENE INSTRUCTIONS FOR CHILDREN AND PARENTS: Parents and children are counselled about the importance of maintaining oral hygiene, in order to prevent the formation of plaque, caries or calculus on teeth.
6. ORAL PROPHYLAXIS: Oral prophylaxis may be done manually or using ultra-sonic scalers to remove calculus or stains.
7. RAHABILITATION PROCEDURED FOR CHILDREN WITH CLEFT LIP/PALATE: Children born with deformities like cleft lip/palate often face difficulties in eating or drinking due to the absence of an adequate lip seal or the presence of an oro-nasal fistula. In such children, an obturator temporarily closes the oro-nasal fistula and enables the child to eat or drink comfortably. The defect can later be closed using a surgical approach. In children without teeth, a feeding plate can be constructed to enable feeding.
8. TOPICAL FLUORIDE APPLICATION: Fluoride application on teeth makes them more resistant to bacterial attack, thus reducing the occurrence of caries. They are effective both on primary as well as permanent teeth.
9. EXTRACTION OF TEETH: Extraction of primary teeth are performed under local anaesthetic methods.
10. PATIENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS: The department provides special care and treatment for those with special needs.

FIGURE LEGENDS:

Pulpectomy (before & after); Restoration (before & after); Space maintainer (before & after)

Space Maintainers After

Academics

The department is currently equipped to teach and train BDS students in the subject of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry. Post graduate training is to be started soon. Students start with lectures and clinical postings from 3^rd year BDS. University exams are held at the end of final year BDS.

Publications (2018-2019): 17

Highlights

Dr. Paul Chalakkal (Awards)

• Excellence in Pedodontics – Indian Health Professional Awards. Received at Goa on 26^th jan 2019.
• Specialist dentist (Pedodontist) of the year – Famdent excellence in dentistry awards. Received at Mumbai on 9^th dec 2018.
• Young Pedodontist Award – received at the 36^th ISPPD Conference (Indian Society of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry) at Lucknow on 14^th Oct 2014.
• Most Proactive Academician award (National level title) – From Guident India (2014)
• Best paper award: Comparison between methods used to treat non-vital young permanent teeth – 40^th ISPPD Conference (Indian Society of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry) at Nagpur from 24-26 oct, 2018
• Best paper award: Modified lingual arch – 39^th ISPPD Conference (Indian Society of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry) at Chennai from 13-16 sept, 2017.
• Best paper award: Predicting palatally displaced canines – 36^th ISPPD Conference (Indian Society of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry) at Lucknow from 14-16^th Oct, 2014.
• Best paper award: Fixed partial denture framework to replace anterior edentulous space in the primary dentition – 3 designs – 35^th ISPPD Conference (Indian Society of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry) at Jaipur from 26-28 Sept 2013.
• Best paper award: New design space regainers – 33^rd ISPPD Conference (Indian Society of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry) at Mangalore from 4-6 Nov 2011.
• Best of best papers award: New design space regainers – 33^rd ISPPD Conference (Indian Society of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry) at Mangalore from 4-6 Nov, 2011.

Dr. Dinesh F Swamy (Awards):

• Carlos Salinas Award 2019 for Excellence in Peer Review – Journal of Special Care in Dentistry.
• Excellence in Pedodontics – Indian Healthcare Professional Awards 2018.

Dr. Neil de Souza (Awards):

Best paper award at the 1^st International Forensic Odontology Conference, Goa 2018

Photo Gallery

Department Of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry

Department Of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry

Department Of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry

Department Of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry
WordPress Grid Gallery Plugin