The Dental Services Unit of the Department of Health and Wellness has launched the first-ever Dental Comic Strip competition. The competition is part of an oral health promotion campaign, targeting young adults between the ages 18-35 years. It is meant to encourage young people to take charge of their life in a healthy and positive way, to have health as a priority as they plan for their future and begin to navigate through life, creating their own path to success.
With oral health as a priority, young people need to pay a more attention to their oral hygiene and how changes in their breath can impact not only on their lives but on persons around them. They need to know that poor oral hygiene can be a symptom of disease or can set the stage for undesirous outcomes, especially in the social interactions.
The objective of the competition is to increase knowledge on Halitosis, inform on what it means to have Halitosis, how it can it be prevented, what it can be a sign of.
The competition will encourage the competitors to do their own research on Halitosis, come up with a concept they think best encapsulates it, highlight the associated impacts and how it can be prevented or treated; and capturing it all in a comic strip. It’s a way for them to create their own vision of such an important issue in a fun and exciting way!
An exhibition of the submitted posters is planned, at a place and time to be announced in order for the public to view talent and gain more insight on Halitosis.
The Unit will conduct a survey to ascertain the impact this health promotion activity would have had on the knowledge, attitude and practices of public.
Design Criteria
Size: – Standard size Bristol board No. of slides (with information and pictures)-6-8
Design: – Colourful Language: English/Creole expressions
Depiction of Halitosis:
• Awareness of its presence,
• Effects on either the body or persons,
• Relation to non-communicable diseases like Diabetes or Heart health issues,
• Prevented.
The competition began on May 2nd, 2019. Deadline for submissions is May 31st, 2019. The judging criteria include People’s Choice and Dental Services Unit Judges. Prizes include electronic items and oral hygiene baskets.
Submit an electronic copy for People’s Choice judging to the National Health Complex Saint Lucia’s Facebook page. Submit hard copies to the Dental Services Unit, Department of Health and Wellness, Sir Stanislaus James Building, Waterfront, Castries.