Hello everyone, my name is Inès, I am a final year dental student from France. In order to make people aware of students’ involvement around environmental issues I would like to write this article. This is an interview of some students being involved in the YSOH movement. First of all, one of the co-creator , Milena HEGENAUER (recently graduated) from Germany, presents us YSOH. Milena has always been involved in environmental debates. She was part of the student leadership of the global Oral Health program as a second year student at the alliance for oral health across borders. She also is Policy Officer at EDSA and was part of FVDZ Student Chamber.
Inès (I) : What is YSOH ?
Milena (M) : Youth for Sustainable Oral Health is a movement of young Oral Health Professionals worldwide, connecting to make Oral Health more sustainable
I : How did you create this movement?
M : We wanted to bring Oral Health professionals from all around the world together agreeing on the importance of sustainability in our field of work ! 2021 we were invited to participate on a COP26 event of the University of Glasgow and wanted to make this idea accessible and useful for all the professions in the field of Oral Health, especially for youth. This is why we founded Youth for Sustainable Oral Health. With my colleagues I founded YSOH since I felt there was an urgent need for the implementation of sustainability into the world of oral health. I met many people that felt the same way so we are trying to create a round table of sustainability for all the different professions that shape Oral health.
I : What are the goals actually?
M: We are working towards our four pillars of action: policy, education, communication and youth engagement.
Our main goal is to make Oral Health more sustainable. The central Idea is that sustainability can only be implemented by every Oral Health professional if sustainability becomes a part of Oral Health curricula. To ensure this we want to engage in health policy processes and foster a community of passionate advocates for sustainable Oral Health. And all these things are only possible with youth engagement to strengthen tomorrow’s voices and to make sustainability in Oral Health the most natural thing.
I : How do you think that dental students can be involved in a local way ?
M : Don’t feel overwhelmed by the problems. Work on them little by little, talk about the issues to your colleagues and friends to make them aware and talk to educators and university staff to show them that youth cares about sustainability for example in the choice of materials, digital workflow and education.
I : Is there other national, European or international association you are working with?
M: Since we want to be as inclusive as possible, we are an independent movement. BDSA (British Dental Students’ Association) and UNECD (Union Nationale des Etudiants en Chirurgie Dentaire) support us and many of our supporters are also involved in Students’ associations like EDSA (European Dentistry Students’ Association), IADS (International Association of Dental Students) or the Student Leadership in Global Oral Health of AOHAB (Alliance for Oral Health Across Boarders).
Then you can read some testimonies from those who make YSOH actions possibles everydays in a lot of countries and dental schools :
Claudia LIBEROVA – 3rd year – Netherlands : “I was President of Green ACTA a small committee formed by students and employees from her university , ACTA. Together we put all the time and effort we have to give into making ACTA as sustainable as possible.” She decided to join YSOH “ because working together makes us stronger! To truly fight global warming I believe we should work together as a team. YSOH connects oral health students all over the world to use their voice in order to inspire and achieve a healthier world to live in for us all.”
Isidor KENSON – final year – Haiti : “ I do believe that sustainability is a holistic approach. Likely we are advocating for the integration of oral health and general health and wellbeing, it is also crucial for us to combat climate change throughout our field. Thus, everyone, whatever their field, must take action against climate change.”
Joanne EGBE – final year – Nigeria (mentor at the Student Leadership in Global Oral Health Program powered by the Alliance for Oral Health Across borders) : “YSOH creates an environment of like-minded oral health professionals globally who are motivated towards improving sustainability in oral health. Being a part of this inspiring movement has been amazing because sustainability is essential to protecting the world in which we live”.
Serap BESIROGLU – graduated in 2022 – Turkey (worked for the Istanbul Chamber of Dentists Student Commission, for IADS) “Before graduating, I had several academic publications on sustainability in dentistry with my professors at my university. My friends who read our article helped me to contact YSOH. Since it is our common goal to make the world a more livable and sustainable place, I quickly became a member. We wish to inform dentists and dental students about examining the practices of our profession in a way that contributes to the solution of environmental problems. We also want to integrate sustainable development goals into daily activities to pursue a healthy life and well-being for all levels of life. And we invite all professionals in the field of health to our actions”
