A Meaningful Visit to the Cyprus Turkish Child Protection Institution by NCADS and Our Fifth-Year Students
The Northern Cyprus Association of Dental Students (NCADS), in which students of the Near East University Faculty of Dentistry take an active role, paid a meaningful visit to the Cyprus Turkish Child Protection Institution on December 5, 2025. During the event, in which NCADS members and fifth-year students of our faculty took part together, children were provided with informative and age-appropriate content on the protection of oral and dental health. Awareness activities focused on proper tooth-brushing habits, the importance of daily oral care, and the principles of preventive dentistry. Through the warm and supportive communication established with the children, the event became more than an educational activity and turned into a meaningful gathering that also strengthened social awareness. NCADS is already known for its volunteer-based social responsibility initiatives, having previously carried out oral health activities in nursing homes and institutions serving individuals with special needs.
Throughout the visit, the focus was not only on delivering information about oral hygiene, but also on adopting a sensitive, inclusive, and age-appropriate approach to communication with the children. In this respect, the event contributed to raising awareness about communication with disadvantaged groups, while also providing a learning environment in which dental students could experience professional responsibility, ethical sensitivity, and a commitment to social benefit in practice. Once again, it became evident that such interactions with children are important not only for strengthening the future dentist’s clinical competence, but also for developing empathy, effective communication skills, and sensitivity to individual differences.
The fifth-year students who participated in the event had the opportunity to use the knowledge and experience they had gained during their clinical training for the benefit of the community. At the same time, they were able to strengthen their ability to communicate with children, convey preventive oral health messages in a clear and understandable way, and reinforce their professional roles within the framework of social responsibility. In this sense, the visit demonstrated that dental education is not limited to clinical practice alone, but is also supported by diverse educational environments in which students can engage with different segments of society and further develop their understanding of deontology, ethical practice, social responsibility, and communication skills.
This initiative, carried out by NCADS together with our students, served as an exemplary practice in extending the principles of preventive dentistry to different segments of society. It also contributed to helping our students develop greater sensitivity toward groups in need of support, adopt community-oriented oral health approaches, and evaluate their professional roles from a human-centered perspective. The Near East University Faculty of Dentistry continues to value an educational approach that supports its students not only scientifically and clinically, but also in terms of ethical values, social responsibility, and the ability to communicate effectively with different groups.
