Say Cheese! Kerala to provide free tooth set to elderly
- In the first phase, the department has set aside Rs.77 lakh for giving free tooth sets and for the treatment.
- It would spread smile on 1,500 faces this year.
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Governments are never shy of splurging money on freebies to the public. But Kerala government is launching a new scheme that would bring smile on each face, literally.
The Social Welfare Department is planning to give free tooth set for the senior citizens. The govt. would bear the cost of the treatment and dental service too. Aptly named ‘Mandahasam’ (gentle smile), the scheme is aimed at elderly people who can’t smile openly for want of teeth.
In the first phase, the department has set aside Rs.77 lakh for giving free tooth sets and for the treatment. It would spread smile on 1,500 faces this year.
Senior citizens who fall below the poverty line would be eligible for the benefit. The department would prepare a list of private dental colleges and dental treatment centres from where the beneficiaries could avail treatment. It would also ensure the quality of artificial tooth and quality treatment by setting standards and norms. One beneficiary would get maximum Rs.5,000 for fixing the tooth.
The applications would be scrutinized by the district Social Welfare Officers at the district level and the list would be finalized by a committee comprising of a government dentist and district medical officer besides the social welfare officer.
The project hopes to reduce nutritional, physical and mental problems faced by the elderly after loosing teeth. Even though the department is not in possession of data of dental health of the senior citizens now, it is planning to collect details in the course of the implementation of the project.
As per the Senior Citizen Policy of the government, over 20% of the Kerala population are seniors, most of them in need of physical and mental care. One of the major reasons that lead to nutritional problems among the elderly is the loss of teeth. As per a rough estimation, 30% of the senior citizens are in need of dental care or dental replacement, according to State Social Welfare Department.
