BIÑAN CITY, Laguna – The congressional district office and the city government here broke ground for the Biñan City Center for Dental Health on Monday (Feb. 21), in time for the celebration of the National Dental Health Month.
The program, held in Barangay San Antonio, was led by Deputy Speaker and Biñan City Lone District Rep. Len Alonte-Naguiat, Mayor Arman Dimaguila, Vice Mayor Gel Alonte, and Philippine Dental Association Laguna Chapter Head Dr. Dave Antioquia.
In her speech during the program streamed live through Facebook, Alonte-Naguiat said the three-storey building will be the country's first super health center devoted to dental health.
Alonte-Naguiat also noted that the first Filipino dentist is a Biñanense – Dr. Jose "Capitan Chengcheng" Arevalo, who served as the mayor of Biñan in 1833.
"Huwag nawa nating makalimutan na napakahalaga ng ginampanan ng isang taga-Biñan upang maging ganap na disiplina ang pagde-dentista sa bansa (May we not forget the important role that a Biñan citizen played to establish the discipline of dentistry in the country)," the representative said.
"Ito ang rason kung bakit ngayong hapon ay ilalagay natin ang ating minamahal na lungsod sa mapa at kasaysayan ng selebrasyon ng National Dental Health Month 2022 (This is the reason why, this afternoon, we are putting our beloved city in the map and history of the National Dental Health Month 2022 celebration)."
Dental health amid the pandemic
Over the past two years, dental health may not have been a priority for many who focused more on protecting themselves against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
According to Biñan City Centre for Dental Health officer-in-charge Dr. Charles De Castro, such is the case for a lot of people in Biñan.
"Typical Filipino, they will go to the dentist kapag meron nang masakit (when something already hurts)," De Castro told the Manila Bulletin.
De Castro said the establishment of a center solely focused on dental health services will give way to a stronger community dental health program available to everyone for free.
This National Dental Health Month, the city government is distributing free toothbrushes in barangay day care centers to raise awareness about dental health and how it affects the people's overall health.
The city has also launched a health caravan to offer free dental treatments such as free medical checkup, circumcision, and animal rabies vaccination in the barangays.
