In an initiative that embodies solidarity and concerted efforts between different parties and in order to enhance community partnerships, the community of the College of Dentistry, represented by the Dean of the College, Dr. Mashail Al-Qahtani, the Vice Dean for Development and Quality, Dr. Jameel Abul-Jadail, the Supervisor of the Community Service Office, Dr. Alaa Qari, and the Supervisor of the Mobile Clinics, Dr. Sharif Sayid, received a team composed of members from the Department of Education in the Makkah Region, the School Health Department, and the Health Cluster. The aim of the visit was to discuss ways of cooperation to establish joint events that serve the community.

The team consisted of the Director of the School Health Project in the Health Cluster, Dr. Abdulaziz Buqas, the Director of the School Health Department in the Executive Department of Preventive Medicine in the Health Cluster, Dr. Saja Al Hazmi, the Director of the Department of School Health Affairs in the Department of Education of the Makkah Region, Mr. Muhammad Al-Sulaimi, the Supervisor of School Health Affairs in the Department of Education of Makkah, Mr. Badr Al-Maqati, and the Exploratory Screening Program Coordinator and Coordinator of the National Initiative for the Prevention of Dental Caries, Mr. Muhammad Al-Sulami.

During the meeting, the reactivation of the Makkah Smile Initiative for School Students, for the fifth year, was discussed, choosing immunized students to be in line with the precautionary measures, after the visits to this initiative had stopped due to the pandemic. The possibility of holding workshops for health counselors in schools to explain how to deal with dental injuries in schools as soon as they occur was also reviewed. Moreover, the possibility of participating in the Exploratory Examination Program for School Students was discussed in cooperation with the School Health Department, under the umbrella of the existing agreement between Umm Al-Qura University and the Health Cluster.

The meeting concluded by laying out the first plans that will be implemented in the coming weeks, starting with the renewal of the partnership between Umm Al-Qura University and the Department of Education in the Makkah region. This was in preparation for activating the schedule of visits for the mobile clinics and developing a plan to implement training programs for health counselors in coordination between the Community Service Office and the Pediatric Dentistry Division. Plans were also made for coordination between the Excellence Program and the Community Service Office to activate participation in the Exploratory Examination Program for School Students.

At the end of the meeting, the Dean of the College, Dr. Mashail Al-Qahtani, thanked the visiting team for their keenness and interest in activating these programs in partnership with the College of Dentistry. She emphasized the college staff's interest in such programs, which are in the interest of the community and contribute effectively in spreading community awareness and in enabling specialists to work to find solutions to challenges according to the needs of the community.