News

When thinking of dentists, people automatically picture them in a dental clinic, holding dental equipment in their hand, taking care of oral health, or out in the community providing onsite service. Community health promotion is a priority of Chiang Mai University and it has been integrated into the curriculum. A prominent issue in the community scale is waste, particularly plastic waste that is hard to decompose and the amount of it keeps rising. When disposed of improperly with no systematic control, it creates environmental impacts that both, directly and indirectly, affect daily life, especially in the community health department. The Faculty of Dentistry and Suthep Subdistrict Municipality have recognised the significance of waste management and have joined forces to tackle this issue.
The idea of turning plastic waste into building blocks is the starting point of the integration at the subdistrict scale by the Faculty of Dentistry and Suthep Subdistrict Municipality’s Division of Public Health and Environment. It is a part of the Community Dentistry Practicum in which students divide the responsibility in drafting the project, coordinating with the Municipality, conducting surveys and gathering waste. 51 stores, ranging from grocery stores, convenience stores, 7-Elevens, stationary stores and building stores, have shown interest in joining the project. The types of plastic waste that can be transformed into building blocks include plastic wraps, food wraps, plastic packages and plastic bags. The blocks, made from plastic waste and sand, are durable and are as practical as traditional concrete blocks, and one block can reduce up to one kilogram of plastic waste. After being transformed into building blocks, they will be given to Wat Umong, a revered temple in the area.

Reflections from the representatives of participating sixth-year dental students
Ms. Natthawan Mongkolkan - ‘Before participating in the project, I hadn’t had much expectation because it was just a required course. But once it started progressing, it felt amazing that I could do so much. It is a great pride to mark CMU’s beginning on this issue and to be like small matches that light up great torches. Working with classmates might have come with conflicts but we compromised and got through it all. I’m thankful for the staff for their help and support, as well as for every involved party for their kind cooperation.’
Mr. Natthapon Thamjaikul – ‘Right from the start, this project seemed different from my previous ones because it was a collaboration with the community and other organisations, and it would benefit many, once completed. While I was on the project, I was astonished by the great awareness of the waste problems in the community – they had been committed to waste sorting for a long time. But the problem was there was no continuation from that effort by other organisations. Therefore, this project connects those who have always been committed and the related parties to create discussion and come up with solutions. It’s a great beginning and I’m very proud to have played a small part in this initiative.’

CMU recognizes that the environmental problems has brought about a learning experience that allows students to have experience working with the local community by transferring knowledge, solving problems, collaborating for a common goal, and setting up a model for other communities which is in line with the University’s vision in driving the society towards sustainable development.