CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — On March 4, the Cambridge-Yerevan Sister City Association (CYSCA) formally donated equipment to Armenia’s Medical University for use in teaching courses in Preventive Dentistry. This program is the initiative of Karina Matevosyan, a CYSCA Board member, who not only conceived of the program but also introduced it at the University in September 2014. According to Matevosyan, the course has been very well received. It is being held at the university’s Therapeutic and Family Dentistry Department with presently ten postgraduate students and eight university professors enrolled. This number is expected to increase in the next academic year.”
Matevosyan, an accomplished and experienced clinician from Cambridge, relocated to Yerevan in September 2014 for a three-year term to lead this program at the university on CYSCA’s behalf. She commented, “The enthusiasm of the students and the faculty for this course has been overwhelming, and I am confident, that upon graduating and joining the medical workforce in Armenia, their new skills in preventive dentistry will have a positive impact on patients’ long-term health.”
The Medical University held a Donation Ceremony on March 4 at the University Rectorat where CYSCA and Matevosyan were recognized for their efforts in developing this first-of-a-kind program in Armenia and for raising the funds for the instruments that are used in the practical portion of the course.
Present at the ceremony were Dr. Narimanyan, rector of the Yerevan Medical University, David Gevorkyan, chief of foreign relations of the Yerevan Municipality and Dr. Lazar Yessayan, dean of the Dental Department, and Chief Dentist at the Ministry of Health in Armenia, along with representatives from several local media outlets. “Preventive dentistry is very important, because these experts can help prevent a number of pathologies of dental hard tissue and inflammatory periodontal disease,” stated Yessayan. He also added, “Thanks to the efforts of CYSCA, funds were raised from the local Boston community to purchase sets of instruments and materials for use in training future dentists in preventive dentistry.” Narimanyan concluded the ceremony, commenting, “We need preventive medicine in all disciplines. The University will increase its financial commitment to expanding more preventive medicine programs in the future.”
