"The Dubai Health Authority’s (DHA) Dental Services Department launched today an initiative that aims to screen all thalassemia patients at the Dubai Thalassemia Centre to put in place an oral and dental care treatment plan. As part of the initiative, which was launched in light of the “Year of Tolerance” by the Dental Services Department in collaboration with the Dubai Thalassemia Centre, 30 to 40 thalassemia patients will be screened daily for a month starting today to ultimately screen all the centre’s 850 registered patients. Once the screening is complete, the patients will be referred to the dental clinics in Primary Health Care Centres for further dental and oral care. Dr Hamda Al Mesmar, Director of Dental Services at the DHA said that the aim of the initiative, which is the first of its kind, is to improve the oral health of thalassemia patients and put in place a plan that will be implemented at the authority’s primary health centres. As part of the initiative, a treatment plan will be put in place for the thalassemia patients. They will be visited by medical cadres (Dentists, dental hygienists and dental assistants) from the dental services department who will examine the patients and write a report for each case. They will then be transferred to a dedicated dental clinic in Al Badaa’ Health Centre. There is a significant need to address the oral health needs of these individuals of the community with a strong emphasis on oral –systemic link and improve the quality of life of these individuals. "