Because children matter—and so does their oral health.
On a day like today, we have two main protagonists: children and Ana Laffond.
Why children? Because today is November 20, Universal Children’s Day—a day dedicated to all the boys and girls around the world, on which we commemorate the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. A day to raise awareness of children’s rights and to remind people of the importance of working every day for their well-being and development.
When it comes to children’s rights, there are two points that are of particular concern to us:
- The right to life, survival, and development: all children have the right to live and to develop appropriately.
- Participation: children have the right to be consulted on matters that affect them and to have their opinions taken into account.
These two points are important because, while every child has the right to proper development and good health, oral health is essential and is sometimes overlooked.
Seventy percent of parents mistakenly believe that, as long as children still have their baby teeth, there is no need to visit the dentist, and serious problems—especially cavities—are becoming increasingly common among young children. Furthermore, the issue of the right to oral health extends to the most impoverished regions of the world, where many children have little, if any, access to dental care.
On the other hand, every child’s right to have their opinions taken into account is directly linked to the need for any healthcare provider treating a child to do so with care, explaining at all times what will be done and respecting the child’s fears. For this reason, today we are joined by Ana Laffond, a highly skilled professional and expert in pediatric dentistry.
Dr. Laffond will address questions about when to schedule a first checkup, debunk some myths, and reveal her secret for working with children, among many other topics.
Ana Laffond holds a Bachelor’s degree in Dentistry and a Master’s degree in Pediatric Dentistry from the Complutense University of Madrid. She is the author of several articles, as well as scientific presentations at national conferences. She has extensive experience treating adult patients and, in particular, pediatric patients, using all the appropriate techniques for so-called “uncooperative” pediatric patients.
It is an honor for Inspiria to feature her testimony and, in this way, do our part in celebrating this very important day. Because oral health matters, and children matter—a great deal.
