Delegate: Carol Lorena Soza Rodriguez
Delegate Short Bio: Dentist with over 20 years of experience in the chilean public health system, holding a Master’s degree in Public Health and multiple postgraduate diplomas in areas including sleep medicine, temporomandibular disorders and orofacial pain, pediatric ankyloglossia, breastfeeding, clinical hypnosis and neurolinguistic programming.
Since completing formal training in sleep medicine in 2020, she has developed a strong commitment to promoting sleep health as a fundamental pillar of overall well-being. She has actively participated in various educational and outreach initiatives aimed at both the community and healthcare professionals, establishing herself as a local reference in this field.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she led a remote care initiative focused on healthcare workers, providing assessment and personalized guidance for sleep disorders. Through comprehensive anamnesis and practical recommendations, she supported more than 40 colleagues, creating a highly valued space for support, education, and improvement of sleep in a context of high emotional and occupational demand.
She has also contributed to professional training activities and community outreach, including participation in local radio programs, with the aim of bringing sleep health knowledge closer to diverse audiences.
Her ongoing motivation to educate and raise awareness has made her widely recognized by her peers as a committed professional, known for her approachable, human-centered, and deeply vocational approach.
Scope of Activity: Campaign
Activity: Sleeping is also health care: first campaign of Sleep Health-Care Campaign in Huépil
Introduction:
This initiative emerged from one of our team members, interest and training in sleep medicine, who identified the lack of this topic within the institution’s health promotion activities. In response, she led the first World Sleep Day commemoration at the Family and Community Hospital of Huépil, with the support of the leadership and the healthcare team, incorporating sleep as a fundamental pillar of health for both the community and the healthcare staff.
The experience was highly valued by the hospital staff, generating interest in continuing and strengthening future initiatives, and positioning sleep as a priority axis in the health promotion.
Description:
In the context of World Sleep Day, an educational campaign was carried out in collaboration with the dental team, targeting both patients and healthcare staff, with the aim of promoting healthy habits under the slogan “Sleep well: live better.
” Objectives:
• Raise awareness about the importance of sleep.
• Promote good sleep hygiene.
• Educate on the benefits of healthy sleep.
• Address individual questions and concerns.
• Encourage healthy habits from early childhood.
• Engage the healthcare staff as health promoters.
Activities:
1.- Waiting room intervention – World Sleep Day (March 13, 2026): An educational stand was set up in the hospital waiting area, reaching approximately 30 users awaiting care, with personalized counseling provided to 24 individuals of different ages. The activity was very well received by both the healthcare team, who valued it as a relevant and innovative initiative, and by users, who showed strong interest, had their questions addressed, and highlighted the usefulness of the information provided.
2.- Engagement with local media: Building on a previous radio experience the year before, where the importance of sleep was discussed, there was a plan to expand these opportunities beyond a single annual instance. In this context, participation in a local radio program was coordinated to raise awareness, highlight World Sleep Day, and further explore different aspects of sleep and its impact on health (activity rescheduled due to weather conditions).
3- Healthcare team intervention: During a large staff meeting with approximately 40 hospital employees, a dedicated space was included to highlight World Sleep Day, emphasizing the importance of good sleep and its impact on health. The initiative was well received, with the hospital staff expressing appreciation for the visibility given to this topic and its integration into a comprehensive health approach.
4- Community activity with children: As part of an intersectoral initiative, a largescale activity was conducted with approximately 200 children from the community. Through playful education, interactive trivia, and positive reinforcement, the importance of going to bed early and maintaining proper sleep conditions (darkness and routines) was promoted. Sleep masks and educational incentives were distributed, supporting meaningful learning through play and active participation.
Added Value: A key strength of the campaign was the creation of in-house educational materials (including dental-focused brochures and team-designed incentives), integrating education, interaction, and personalized guidance. The active participation of the TENS staff in developing these materials fostered a strong sense of involvement and ownership, sparking motivation and interest in generating new ideas for future initiatives.
Closing: This experience marks a starting point in positioning sleep as a fundamental pillar of health, projecting its sustained integration into health promotion and prevention strategies.
Location: Huépil, comuna de Tucapel, región del Biobío, Chile
Date of Activity: 13/03/26 06/04/26 y 07/26
