SIFAX Group Partnership UI Dental Students To Deliver Free Oral Healthcare To 100+ Traders At New Gbagi Market, Ibadan
SIFAX Group Partnership UI Dental Students o Deliver Free Oral Healthcare To 100+ Traders At New Gbagi Market, Ibadan
…Company funds consultations, scaling, screenings and health education to bridge oral health gap in underserved communities
By Success Okezie
It was a day of free healthcare at New Gbagi Market, Ibadan, as over 100 traders and residents received dental consultations, preventive treatment and basic medical checks through a community outreach sponsored by SIFAX Group in collaboration with the University of Ibadan Association of Dental Students, UADS.
Held on July 25 under UADS’ Committee on Dental Education and Health, CODEH, the initiative was designed to bring professional oral healthcare directly to people who rarely access dental services due to cost and distance.
From an initial registration of about 130 people, 101 beneficiaries underwent comprehensive dental examinations.
Beyond oral health, participants also received free screenings for blood pressure, blood glucose and Body Mass Index, BMI.
For 30 patients with identified dental issues, the team carried out professional scaling and polishing right inside the market — a service that typically costs thousands of naira in private clinics.
UADS President, _Patrick Okelue_, said the outreach was about more than treating teeth. It was about closing a dangerous knowledge gap.
“Data shows that less than half of adults in Ibadan have adequate knowledge of oral health. Only 22.1% of those who do have seen a dentist in the last one year. We are here to change that narrative,” Okelue stated.
He praised SIFAX Group for years of consistent support, saying the company’s funding made it possible to take doctors, equipment and education out of the hospital and into the market.
_CORPORATE BACKING THAT MADE IT HAPPEN_
In line with its CSR pillar on health, SIFAX Group fully bankrolled the outreach. The company’s support covered venue setup, medical consumables, PPE, volunteer transportation, publicity, souvenirs and other logistics.
Over 60 student volunteers from the University of Ibadan and the University College Hospital, UCH, were deployed. They worked under the guidance of six clinical supervisors from the Departments of Periodontology and Community Dentistry.
After a week of sensitization across Gbagi Market, beneficiaries were registered, screened, and moved through consultation booths where students performed examinations under supervision. Each participant also received oral hygiene counselling, referrals for specialist care where necessary, and free toothpaste.
_LEARNING IN ENGLISH AND YORUBA_
A standout moment was an interactive health education session conducted in both English and Yoruba. A final-year dental student demonstrated proper brushing techniques and answered questions on cavities, gum disease and oral hygiene myths.
The scaling and polishing procedures were done by final-year students under strict infection control protocols and the supervision of six licensed dentists. Organizers said feedback from beneficiaries was overwhelmingly positive.
Market leaders and traders applauded SIFAX Group and UADS for bringing healthcare to their doorstep.
“This is the first time we are seeing doctors and dentists come to treat us free in the market. It is timely and we are grateful,” one of the market leaders said.
UADS also thanked SIFAX Group and announced that the next edition of the outreach will hold in September at Aleshinloye Market, Ibadan, as part of efforts to expand oral health advocacy beyond hospital walls.
For SIFAX Group, the intervention reinforces its commitment to improving access to quality healthcare for underserved Nigerians and supporting community-driven health solutions across the country
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