NERS NEWS — Students from Group 2, Class A2, 2025 Cohort, of the Undergraduate Nursing Study Program, Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga (FKp UNAIR), organized a Project-Based Learning (PjBL) activity titled “BERSERI (Clean, Healthy, and Cheerful)” at SDN Kertajaya, Surabaya, to educate students about the importance of personal hygiene and dental health from an early age.
The BERSERI activity was designed to be interactive and enjoyable through a series of activities, including educational sessions on oral hygiene, question-and-answer sessions, educational games, and a group toothbrushing practice using fluoride toothpaste with proper techniques. Through this approach, students were encouraged to participate actively so they could more easily understand how to maintain dental health, avoid foods high in sugar, and prevent the risk of dental caries from school age.
The event was held on Monday, October 26, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Western Indonesia Time (WIB), at SDN Kertajaya, located at Jalan Pucang Jajar No. 4–6, Kertajaya, Gubeng District, Surabaya, East Java. The activity involved fourth-grade students of SDN Kertajaya and received a warm welcome and full support from the Principal, Ika Suci Rahayu, S.Pd., M.Pd., along with the teaching staff. The event was also directly supervised by the field supervisor, Ni Ketut Alit Armini, S.Kp., M.Kes., and received full support from Prof. Ferry Efendi, S.Kep., Ns., M.Sc., Ph.D., and Wahyuni Tri Lestari, S.Kep., Ns., M.Kep.
The implementation of this program was motivated by the continued prevalence of dental and oral health problems, particularly dental caries in children, due to inadequate toothbrushing practices and the consumption of sugary foods. This activity aimed to improve children’s knowledge and skills in maintaining personal hygiene and developing clean and healthy living habits (PHBS). The activity also represented the implementation of the Health Education and Promotion and Fulfillment of Basic Human Needs courses, while supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The event coordinator, Artanti Yumna Tsary, expressed her hope that the BERSERI program would provide meaningful learning experiences for university students while equipping schoolchildren with the awareness and independence needed to maintain consistent oral and dental hygiene, both at school and at home.
The atmosphere became even more lively and warm as the closing session approached. One fourth-grade student representative enthusiastically came to the front of the classroom to share impressions and messages on behalf of their classmates. “Today was so much fun! I learned many new things about how to brush my teeth properly. The university students were also fun, friendly, and enjoyable to play games with,” the student said cheerfully, followed by enthusiastic applause from all students and committee members. This simple testimonial reflected the success of the student team in creating an enjoyable and memorable learning atmosphere for the children.
This activity was integrated with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely:
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being
Dental and oral health are essential components of overall human health:
- Preventing non-communicable diseases, as dental caries is one of the most common non-communicable diseases affecting children.
- Achieving universal health coverage through preventive-based primary healthcare services.
- Improving health risk management capacity in the school environment.
SDG 4: Quality Education
Through the implementation of direct educational methods for students:
Ensuring that students acquire knowledge about sustainable lifestyles, as teaching proper toothbrushing techniques is a form of improving health literacy from an early age.
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Toothbrushing practices are closely related to the implementation of hygienic behaviors:
Strengthening personal hygiene and sanitation practices, such as brushing teeth and washing hands, to support environmental health.
The implementation of the BERSERI activity is expected to have a sustainable positive impact on SDN Kertajaya students by encouraging them to adopt clean and healthy living habits. Through the tangible contributions of students from the Faculty of Nursing, Unair continues to demonstrate its commitment to actively contributing to community service, improving the health of the younger generation, and supporting the achievement of sustainable development targets.
Writer: Andhyna Putri Wijayanti
