Dr. Afreen Agha is a Graduate of Jinnah Medical and Dental College, Karachi. After doing House Job, she joined Dr. Ishrat Ul Ebad Khan Institute of Oral Health Sciences (DIKIOHS) of Dow University of Health Sciences as Lecturer. She was recently interviewed by Muhammad Fareed, Editor Medical Review. Following are the excerpt of her interview.
Q – Please tell us something about yourself?
Ans – I have done my Graduated from Jinnah Medical and Dental College, Karachi in 2007. Then I did my House Job in 2008. After that I joined Dr. Ishrat Ul Ebad Khan Institute of Oral Health Sciences (DIKIOHS), Dow University of Health Sciences as Lecturer in April 2010. Since then I am working here. I have also started my Master in Dental Surgery in 2011. Nowadays I am working on my thesis. Beside that I have also done Postgraduate Diploma from Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi in 2015.
Q -What types of patients do you treat?
Ans – Currently i am involved in Academics that why I am not treating any patients right now.
Q -What is your knowledge of the current technology of dental treatment techniques and oral health care?
Ans – I am working on dental materials used in the field of dentistry. We at Dow University are doing a lot of work on community healthcare in our institute. Furthermore, we are also involved in making awareness about oral healthcare amongst general public and children as well.
Q -Where do you see the future of dentistry headed?
Ans – The future of Dentistry is very high and bright. When I was joining dentistry field, my parent was not willing. I purse them and they agreed. I think that Dentistry is easily manageable field for female because it does has not have night job. On the other hand, Dentist can easily give time to their family members. The scope of Dentistry in aboard is very high. It is a costly treatment and everyone cannot afford that many of the peoples come Pakistan for their treatment. Talking about awareness, I think that there is need to create more awareness of dental health in Pakistan. Apart from this, there is also need to arrange different program to educate mother especially so that they can easily maintain oral hygiene of their children. Different program in school and colleges should be organized for the awareness of younger generation. Dow University is passing 200 dental graduates every year and this shows that peoples are now more focusing of dentistry.
Q – Please tell us something about preventative Dentistry?
Ans – The importance part in preventive dentistry is oral hygiene maintenance. If parent should take care of their children from the age of 6 months then they would not need to go for dentist. It is the responsibility of parents to take care about the oral hygiene of their children and asked them to brush the teeth regularly. Furthermore, parent should take care of the healthy diet of their children and avoid junk food which is more dangerous for their children. Make the more use of milk, vegetable in daily life because it gives strength to teeth. Mother should be guided so that oral hygiene of children can be improved. We should hold new programs of TV to educate children and their mothers.
Quack dentist in the city should be dealt strictly because they are responsible for spreading different diseases including Hepatitis C. Hepatitis C is spread by quack dentist working in different areas of the city. The main reason of spread of Hepatitis C is quack dentist who do not have knowledge about dentistry and they are treating the patient without adopting preventive measures. They are minting heavy amount of fees from the patients. Government should take action to stop these quacks.
Q – Why do you want to study Dentistry rather than Medicine?
Ans – My personal thought was that it is time manageable field and second my parent convinced me for dentistry. Although Medicine is a Nobel field but in my thinking dentistry is more suitable for girls because most of the girls are not willing to work in night. They should adopt dentistry and do their part time in the evening. I have passion and interest of doing dentistry. Dentistry is a technical skill and I will recommend that parent should pursue their children for dentistry.
Q – What are the ways you employ to improve knowledge?
Ans – Reading improves the knowledge. Although studying and doing practical is important but reading keeps the knowledge update.
Q – What is your philosophy on how oral health relates to overall body health?
Ans – Dental health related to overall health body health. Health of human body depends of the food. People don’t have knowledge that how important is their teeth. Everything is being eaten is from mouth. If mouth is not healthy how will you expect that your whole body healthy. There is need to take good care of oral health in order to be healthy. It is important for mother that they should take care about the oral health of their children.
Q – Anything you wish to add?
Ans – I want to add that be sincere to yourself. Speaking truth solves 95% of the problem. Always thank God for your good health.
