HE UQU President, Dr. Bakri bin Matouq Assas, signed a cooperation agreement with Mr. Mohammed bin Mahdi Al Harthy, the Director General of Education in Makkah region, to promote oral health under the name of " Makkah Smile" for 3,000 students in Makkah schools through field visits by the mobile clinics at the Dentistry College. The agreement was signed in the presence of Dr. Abdulaziz Khotani, dean of the College of Dentistry, and the vice-deans of the College, in the office of Dr. Assas, at the university city of Abadiya.

Dr. Bakri Assas praised the support that the university receives from the good government- May Allah protects it. Such support has contributed to providing great services to the society in the medical, educational and research aspects. As a matter of its community responsibility, HE pointed out that this agreement is part of a series of agreements implemented by the university with several bodies. In addition, he praised the support and guidance of HE Minister of Education, Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Issa, to implement such programs that contribute to the protection of society.

He clarified that it is necessary to take care of the health of the mouth and teeth as the main entrance to the human body, and the first safety to protect from all diseases; stressing the importance of health awareness programs to protect mouth and teeth. He added that through the program prepared for field visits by mobile dental clinics, the efforts will be intensified in the medical survey and then health education for male and female students to protect them from dental caries, and there will be fluoride sessions through regular visits to schools in Makkah, and appropriate treatment intervention for the problems of caries and gum diseases. HE lauded the cooperation between the General Directorate of Education in Makkah and Umm Al-Qura University in all the programs provided, which are considered as a match between the two sides. He also praised the efforts of the College of Dentistry.

In turn, Mr. Mohammed bin Mahdi Al Harthy, the Director General of Education in Makkah region, said that this partnership contributes to raising health awareness among the members of society, and it is known to everyone the importance of the health culture that we should care so as to maintain the health of teeth, so that the student could continue their daily activity; stressing the importance of maintaining the health of the body, including the health of the mouth and teeth.

Al Harthy added that such partnerships, which are concerned with the health of teeth and mouth, contribute to raising health awareness for the members of the community; pointing out that the correct health culture should be transferred to the students in the schools to enjoy the health of their teeth; thanking the school health affairs and the College of Dentistry at Umm Al Qura University for such a community initiative, as part of the partnership with Makkah Education; hoping that the partnership achieves its objectives.

In this regard, Dr. Abdulaziz Khotani, dean of the College of Dentistry, said that the aim of this agreement under the name of "Makkah Smile" is to spread the preventive medical awareness of the teeth of students in schools, and to educate them on how to clean teeth, as well as the importance of teeth to protect the human health, digestive system and the body from diseases; in addition to conducting medical examination on the school students to have statistics on the percentage of caries and gum diseases in the school community, and finally analyzing the results of the statistics in order to build database on the rates of caries among children from different ages in Makkah. He added that medical examinations will be conducted on about 3000 male and female student during the school year; elaborating that the students who have tooth decay  will be transferred for treatment to the dental hospital in the university city of Al-Abediya. In addition to that, there will be a mechanism to be implemented with the school to follow up the treatment of students with tooth decay. He pointed out that there will be fluoride sessions for children's teeth to protect them from caries.

Thereafter, HE along with the Director of Education in Makkah Region had a tour of the mobile clinics, which are consisted of two clinics equipped with all their medical equipment and desks, the latest advanced digital radiography and a store. Also, they are equipped with ventilation and disposal means in a friendly way to the environment, as well as the sterilization equipment is provided.