The Taguig City government will launch Wednesay a city-wide oral hygiene program which is expected to benefit more than 138,00 public elementary and high school students and teachers in the city through its free oral checkup and dental cleaning components.

The program called “Operation Ngiti” is in partnership with Novel Dental Implant Center and Jam Jali Enterprise. It seeks to provide free checkup and oral prophylaxis to students and teachers from public schools all over the city.

City Nutrition Officer Kaye Tinga said the free dental services will kick off at Signal Village Elementary School on Ballecer St., Taguig City, where hi-tech equipment such as digital transportable X-rays, dental cameras and dental implant machines will be used.

Tinga said the visits to selected public schools in the city’s 28 barangays will be scheduled every week until March 2010.

She said the program is part of the city government’s thrust to improve the nutrition and health status of the youth.

“Today’s youth have overlooked the importance of oral care in our overall wellbeing. More than achieving clean and white teeth, regular visits to the dentist mean we are also preventing the development and spread of viral diseases,” Tinga said.