Institutional Distinctiveness

Metric no 7.3.1 Portray the performance of the institution in
one area distinctive to its priority and thrust within 500
words

Reach the unrechable
Awareness about health care among Indian population has significantly increased over period. Especially people are aware about their oral heath thus availability of oral health services in both urban and rural areas of the country is must. Although with urbanization, oral health care is flourishing in urban cities as most dentists prefer practicing in urban cities. Sub urban and rural cities are often missed. Besides, accessibility to the services, affordability, acceptability and accommodation are the other main concerns in sub urban city like Dhule. Rural places in the periphery of Dhule are mainly affected because of shortcomings of the services. Keeping this in mind, ACPM Dental College has left no stone rolled in providing best oral health service for the needy. The vision of our institute is to provide the same quality of work and services to the patients from these underprivileged areas. To make it more accessible our institute has set up satellite clinics in peripheral regions of Dhule. A.C.P.M Dental college till now has established three satellite clinics in areas like Dhule, Kusumba, Nandurbag. Along with providing health services for the needy patients, these clinics also serve as employment opportunities for the alumni, and as a job opportunity to the rural unemployed youth as supporting staff. Each satellite clinic is fully equipped and caters to the dental needs of over 5000 patients. All the satellite clinics are provided with 2 chairs, qualified dental surgeon, a nursing staff and an supporting staff. Patients in need of primary care can take advantage of these clinics before they reach out for definitive management elsewhere. While those
requiring multidisciplinary care are referred to our tertiary care centre where all the provision to render these needs exist. Both undergraduates and postgraduate students are deployed to work in betterment of these services in form of monthly arranged camps. Periodic meetings are held at all levels to resolve any issue encountered. We aim to maintain the same quality of services as any other well equipped private clinic in urban city, with well experienced and trained faculty at college panel. Using the technology we arrange for digital meetings from the college to these satellite clinics. Digital meetings are also helping creating awareness amongst villagers. In order to increase the interaction with the villagers and motivate them to learn about oral health care we reach out to village level health workers like Accredited Social Health Activists, Anganwadi Workers and Multipurpose Health workers. These workers act as a connecting link and are trained to identify common oral diseases and inform about the same. To update the knowledge and keep the faculty and the students
updated about every new technology and technique introduced, timely continuing education programs are held. Our college is also attached to the Medical College providing highly equipped health care services for the needy. All these initiatives enhance the provision of high quality dental health care and help to improve the oral health related quality of life of the rural population we serve.