Busan City Holds Event to Commemorate the 78th Oral Health Day

April 9, 4 PM at City Hall, 'The 78th Oral Health Day Ceremony'

April 10, 10 AM at Citizen Park, 'Oral Health Campaign' 진행

Busan City held a commemorative event over two days from the 9th to the 10th to celebrate the ‘78th Oral Health Day’.

Busan City Hall.

June 9th, designated as ‘Oral Health Day,’ was created by quantifying the number 6, representing the age when the first permanent molars appear, and the character ‘gu’ (臼齒), meaning molars.

Since 1946, when the predecessor of the Korean Dental Association, the Joseon Dental Association, designated this day as Oral Health Day, it has been commemorated annually and was officially recognized as a legal commemorative day in 2015.

This year’s Oral Health Day commemorative events were held simultaneously across the country under the unified slogan, “Healthy Smiles Rediscovered, Oral Care Together,” aiming to raise awareness about the importance of oral health prevention and management and to encourage the practice of healthy lifestyle habits.

On the 9th, Busan City held the ‘78th Oral Health Day’ commemorative ceremony at 4 p.m. in the city hall auditorium.

The ceremony was attended by about 400 people, including oral health organizations, public officials, and citizens, and proceeded with an award ceremony for oral health contributors, commemorative speeches, and congratulatory performances.

In particular, during the award ceremony, the city honored individuals who have dedicated themselves to promoting oral health by building infrastructure, providing oral health education to vulnerable groups, and conducting preventive projects in the oral healthcare field, thereby recognizing their contributions and boosting the pride of those involved.

Additionally, the Busan Dental Association awarded commendations to 13 children who achieved outstanding results in the ‘Healthy Teeth Children Selection Contest’ held on May 23rd, the first event since COVID-19, conveying health messages from the children (students).

Furthermore, on the 10th at 10 a.m., the city held an ‘Oral Health Campaign’ at Busan Citizens Park.

This event was organized by the city and hosted by the Busan branch of the Korean Dental Hygienists Association, with participation from 16 district and county public health centers, the Busan Dental Association, the Busan Dental Technicians Association, and dental hygiene students from eight local universities including Gyeongnam Information University.

The campaign featured customized oral health consultations for citizens, oral health education on practices such as brushing teeth after lunch, and panel exhibitions. Health experience programs such as tooth model making, halitosis measurement, tooth brushing instruction, and denture care tips were also conducted.

Lee Sora, Director of the Citizen Health Bureau of Busan City, stated, “This commemorative event will play a significant role in informing citizens about the importance of oral health management and practice, increasing understanding and interest in oral health, and improving the overall level of oral health.” She added, “Our city will continue to provide support for projects aimed at enhancing citizens’ oral health.”