Mangaluru: Wenlock Government Hospital in association with various private dental colleges in the district, will be distributing free artificial dentures to deserving beneficiaries. The initiative is taken under the State government’s Danta Bhagya scheme undertaken at a cost of Rs two crore. The government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with 46 dental colleges in the state.

The first screening in the district will be held on January 8 from 10 am – 5 pm at Wenlock Hospital.

In order to be considered eligible, a beneficiary must be a BPL card holder above sixty years of age with no tooth.

Addressing the media, State President of the scheme and Professor of Yenepoya Dental College Dr Ganesh Pai Panchmahal, said that the government has signed an MoU with six dental colleges in the district namely Srinivas Dental College, AJ Shetty Dental College, AB Shetty Dental College, College of Dental Sciences (KMC), KVG Dental College and Yenepoya Dental College.

The entire process from first round of screening to the fixing of denture will take about 15 days. While the first screening will be done in Wenlock, the beneficiaries can visit any dental college and get the denture fixed, he added. He informed that one doctor from each medical college has been chosen as the Nodal Officer and every college has been given an advance payment of Rs 50,000 each.

District Medical Officer Dr Rajeshwari Devi said that all ASHA mentors and facilitators have been trained to screen the beneficiaries. The first screening will be held in association with Yenepoya Hospital. Similar screening camps will be held in Moodbidri, Puttur and Belthangady among other places in association with various private dental colleges, she added.