Chandigarh - The Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry Unit of the Oral Health Sciences Centre, PGIMER, Chandigarh organized the first symposium on interdisciplinary approaches to oral health care in pediatric hemato-oncology. The event was attended by over 150 delegates, including eminent experts, clinicians, and postgraduate students from various parts of North India. It served as an interactive platform for knowledge exchange, experience sharing, and strategies to improve oral health care for pediatric patients suffering from blood-related malignancies. The symposium was inaugurated by Professor Sanjay Jain, Dean (Research), PGIMER, who praised the initiative and emphasized the institute's continued commitment to multidisciplinary collaboration to improve patient-centered care.
Prof. Dr. HS Chawla was the chief guest and released the "Oral Health Awareness Pamphlet for Children Undergoing Chemotherapy." Dr. SP Singh, Head of the Oral Health Sciences Center at PGIMER and organizing chair of the event, highlighted the low awareness among people about basic oral health practices and stressed the need for more programs to create awareness.
Dr. Aditi Kapoor, Professor in Charge of the Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry Unit at OHSC, PGIMER, and organizing secretary of the event, emphasized that oral health is an important but often overlooked aspect of comprehensive cancer care and that more research is needed to understand its impact on overall treatment outcomes.
Dr. Deepak Bansal of the Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Unit at PGIMER discussed various medical aspects to be considered in the dental management of these patients, while Dr. Priyanshi Ritwik, Professor of Pediatric Dentistry at the UT School of Houston, delivered an online lecture on practical insights into building a holistic integrated medical and dental care approach for these children.
The highlight of the event was a panel discussion featuring eminent experts: Dr. Amita Trehan, Professor and Head, Pediatric Hematology Unit, PGIMER, Chandigarh; Dr. Ashima Goyal, Professor, Oral Health Sciences Centre; Dr. Rachna Seth, Professor, Pediatric Oncology, AIIMS, New Delhi; and Dr. I.K. Pandit, Principal, DAV Dental College, Yamunanagar. Other speakers included Dr. Manoj Jaiswal, Additional Professor, Pediatric Dentistry Unit, OHSC, PGIMER, and Scientific Chair of the event, who discussed the use of laser therapy for the management of mucositis in these children, the most common oral complication during chemotherapy.
Dr. Rahul Morankar, Associate Professor of Pediatric Dentistry at AIIMS, spoke about late dental complications in these children and their impact on quality of life, based on his extensive research. Dr. Pavitra Devi, Assistant Professor of Pediatric Dentistry at OHSC, PGIMER, discussed various cases treated at the center and provided practical information about their dental management during different phases of chemotherapy.
The program was widely appreciated for its interdisciplinary spirit, academic depth, and emphasis on holistic care. It marked an important step toward integrating dental care within pediatric oncology practice and reaffirmed PGIMER's leadership in promoting collaborative, patient-centered healthcare.