Civic engagement activities of Gerodontology NKUA for the Academic Year 2024-25

The Discipline of Gerodontology of the Dental School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), continuing a 14-year-long effort to promote the oral health of older citizens, especially those in vulnerable groups, has successfully completed its educational and civic engagement activities for the academic year 2024–2025.

These activities were organised and carried out through the “service learning” component of the mandatory Gerodontology course offered in the 10th semester of the NKUA undergraduate dental studies programme, as well as through the “Smile for Life” programme developed within the framework of the “CIVIS Intergenerational Communities Open Lab”.

The Gerodontology service learning programme included weekly educational visits by students and teaching staff to the Nursing Home of Athens from March to end May. During these visits the students connected and interacted with the residents, performed comprehensive oral examinations using mobile dental equipment, informed them and/or their guardians about their oral health status, provided training to the residents and their caregivers on daily dental, oral and denture care, and distributed oral care products free of charge.

Also, in collaboration with the Department of Nursing of the University of West Attica, the “Interprofessional Education Programme in the Care of Older People” was conducted for another year. Through this programme, students from both departments worked closely together to provide holistic, patient-centered care to residents in their rooms, gained insight into each other’s profession and taught one another topics relevant to their professional fields.

Voluntary civic engagement activities included the organisation of educational events on the importance of oral health in older people, in collaboration with local Social Partners. The training, delivered by the staff and students of the Dental School, was tailored to the specific needs of each Social Partner and targeted diverse audiences such as the general older population, people with early-stage dementia, caregivers of frail older adults, and employees of nursing homes. The programme combined theoretical and practical components and included the distribution of informational leaflets on oral care for older adults, as well as oral care products.

Within this context, the following voluntary actions were carried out:

Participation in the workshop “Multidimensional management of health problems in people with dementia” organised in collaboration with the Day Center for People with Dementia of the Alzheimer Athens Society in Piraeus, with the topic “I care for your smile. The role of oral health in the care of people with dementia”. The workshop took place at the Municipal Library of Piraeus on April 9, 2025. It targeted older adults as well as caregivers of people with dementia.

Organisation of an oral health promotion workshop for people with dementia and their caregivers at the Day Center for People with Dementia of the Alzheimer Athens Society in Pagrati, on May 15, 2025. The event included theoretical training, practical small groups training, and oral examinations.

Theoretical and practical training on conducting initial oral examinations and providing daily oral hygiene to frail and functionally dependent older adults, delivered to the care staff of the Athens Nursing Home on May 16 and 23, 2025.

Educational workshop at the 2nd Municipal Day Center for Older People of the Municipality of Galatsi with the topic “A healthy mouth forever”. The event included a brief presentation and practical demonstration of daily oral hygiene and denture care practices and was organised in collaboration with the municipal authorities and the director of the Day Centers on May 22, 2025.
Similar educational event at the 1st Municipal Day Center for Older People in Dafni on June 12, 2025, in collaboration with the Deputy Mayor of Public Health of the Municipality of Dafni-Ymittos.

These service learning and civic engagement activities of Gerodontology NKUA have been successfully carried out thanks to our excellent collaboration with local Social Partners, including the Athens Nursing Home, the Day Centers for People with Dementia by the Alzheimer Athens Society, and the municipal authorities and coordinators of the Day Centers for Older People in the Municipalities of Galatsi and Dafni-Ymittos.

We also extend our warm thanks to the sponsors of oral care products, Oral B, Plac Control, Haleon, and Colgate, whose consistent support is invaluable to our social engagement activities.

Anastassia Kossioni, Professor of Gerodontology, Dental School, NKUA