Within the framework of the institutional anniversary, the launch of the program ''Preventive medical-dental health examination for incoming students...contributing to the transition towards a health-promoting University'' was carried out.

The Student Health Department of the University of La Serena offers students medical, dental and psychological care at reduced costs. 
in addition to facilitating the comprehensive development of regular students, through activities to promote self-care in health and timely care for common pathologies with the least loss of time and the greatest effectiveness.

That is why, with the aim of preventing the incidence of pathologies and promoting a healthy lifestyle, the Adult Preventive Health Examination (EMPA) has been implemented, particularly for students entering the first year.

As stated by the general director of Student Affairs of the University of La Serena, Mg. Miguel Zuleta, ''this University has constant concern for the young people who join it. Starting in 2012, the EMPA is carried out free of charge for all students entering the first year of studies. This examination is carried out with the objective of evaluating the state of health and investigating the risks of obesity and cardiovascular and dental diseases, among others. In addition, it allows us to have medical records for subsequent consultations and, if risk factors or behaviors are detected, offer guidance, counseling and the corresponding referral.''

In our country, there has gone from 100.000 higher education students in the 80s to practically 1.000.000 today, which together with academics and support staff and their families, constitute a mass with a potential for great influence in our community as agents of change and health promoters. 

Under that premise, the head of the ULS Health Department, Dr. Néstor López, presented the result of the conclusions and data of the preventive experiences carried out during the years 2012 and 2013 by the care unit and the projections for this year, whose general objective is to evaluate the incoming student community, through the application of the EMPA Detector, to identify the main health problems.

''This allows us to have an adequate diagnosis of the general situation (prevalence), to develop specific programs; have a diagnosis of the individual situation that allows early intervention, aimed at solving the detected problem and setting specific goals as a Department,'' indicated Dr. López.

The aspects that are evaluated are: alcohol consumption, smoking, nicotine dependence, overweight and obesity, high blood pressure, type II diabetes mellitus, sexually transmitted disease profile and respiratory disease profile.

Added to this is the preventive oral health examination in order to identify the main oral health problems in the student community and thus recognize the most frequent diseases in the oral cavity and carry out oral hygiene education and instructions.

Therefore, all students who join the ULS this year are invited to go to the Department of Health to request an office schedule and access this complete exam that seeks to detect and prevent diseases during the period that the students they remain in university, and ensuring adequate health condition to enter the world of work.