Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare inaugurated the 11thInternational Dental Students and 5thDental Surgeons Conference organized by Dental Students Welfare Association of India and Dental Surgeons Association of India at Lady Hardinge Medical College, today. Dr Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change was also present at the inaugural function. Speaking at the event,ShriChoubey urged all the dental students and dental surgeons to create more awareness about oral hygiene and related diseases in the country. He also administered the oath to the dental students to work in rural areas for 15 days in a year.In his address, ShriChoubey stated that government wants to increase the number of government dental colleges in the country and at the same time wants private dental colleges to deliver quality services. He further said that dental council can play a crucial role in monitoring and enhancing the quality of these services.ShriChoubey further stated that Hon’ble Prime Minister of India,ShriNarendraModiJi has launched Ayushman Bharat – PradhanMantri Jan AarogyaYojana (AB-PMJAY) which envisions health assurance of 5 lakh rupees per family per year, will benefit over 50 crore people, and is the world's biggest health assurance scheme. “The services will include more than 1300 procedures covering pre and post hospitalization, diagnostics, medicines etc., and the beneficiaries will be able to move across borders and access services across the country through the provider network seamlessly,” ShriChoubey stated.He further said Ayushman Bharat is a progression towards promotive, preventive, curative, palliative and rehabilitative aspects of Universal Healthcare through access of Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs) at the primary level and provision of financial protection for accessing curative care at the secondary and tertiary levels through engagement with both public and private sector. “Government is developing 1.5 lakhs health and wellness centresthat would ‘bring healthcare closer to people, so that every Indian can have timely access to health care, including diagnostic services and free essential drugs,” he said.Shri Choubey also felicitated the dental surgeons for their contribution in the field of dentistry.