Dentistry students will become regular visitors at St Vincent de Paul home where they will be providing elderly residents with regular dental care while they practice their skills.

“We will have a good example of intergenerational solidarity,” Social Solidarity Minister Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca said, unveiling an agreement signed between the University of Malta’s Faculty of Dental Surgery and the home.

This agreement will mean residents at the home will have routine check-ups and better dental care.

On the other end, dentistry students will be able to improve their skills in geriatric dentistry and learn how to treat elderly patients who may have complications that come with illness, old age and medication, Elderly Parliamentary Secretary Franco Mercieca elaborated.

We want our students to experience the real fabric of society

Faculty dean Nikolai Attard said there were about 70 dentistry students at the moment. The faculty wanted its students to be exposed to the social dimension of their work and meet with people of different ages and backgrounds. This, he said, was an important part of the educ-ation process.

“We want our students to experience the real fabric of society,” Prof. Attard said, adding that he hoped to see more students opting for dentistry and specialising in geriatric dentistry.

He added that the department saw this collaboration with St Vincent de Paul as a first step and was hoping to expand its involvement in the community.

In fact, Ms Coleiro Preca added, the faculty was also looking at offering a similar programme for children who lived in out-of-home care.

Lecturer Alfred Vella noted that such an initiative would allow the university to carry out research to better understand the link between dental and general health.

“The university has the national interest at heart,” Prof. Vella said.