By Chioma Umeha
To
tackle the low level of poor oral healthcare awareness, dental practitioners
across the country have set up a Dental Support Foundation (DSF) to promote,
and encourage dental practice in the country.
President
of the Foundation, Dr. Bidemi Dawodu explained to journalists in Lagos last
weekend that the current high prevalence of oral diseases, such as dental caries
and periodontal infection, should be seen as a major source of concern to
professionals in the sector.
Professor
Isaac Adewole, the Minister of Health, raised the alarm recently when he said
the burden of dental disease has risen to an epidemic proportion.
Dawodu
submitted that the DSF therefore seeks to encourage the government to implement
the Nigerian Oral Health Care Policy aimed at ensuring the creation of at least
one dental care center in each Local Government Area (LGA) with a view to
improving the oral health of Nigerians.
The
foundation, which was incorporated three years ago, will equally strive to
encourage dental practitioners to undertake measures to improve public oral
health and dental education.
It will
also seek to maintain the dignity of the dental profession, protect the
rights/interests of young dentists, and create job opportunities for young
dentists.
Other
objectives, according to Dawodu, include reducing the burden of equipment
acquisition to the barest minimum and fostering of friendship, co-operation and
co- existence among the members of the profession both young and old.
“The
starting point is to create awareness among the people about dental health
care. It is so bad today that people don’t visit the dentist until they have
serious aches in their mouths,” he said.
“But,
what is crucial is the implementation of the oral health policy passed by the
National Assembly a long time ago.”
Dawodu
emphasised that the implementation of the policy will promote oral healthcare
and create employment for dentists, stressing that the major objective is the
setting up of dental clinics in all the LGAs in the country.
Other
members of the dental board include, Dr. Ademola Ademuson, a Dental Surgeon
with over 35 years in dental practice and Dr. Akanbi Oluwarotimi Olojode, a
consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon with the Lagos State Health
Commission.
The rest are, Dr. Ishaku Danfillo, Consultant General, Dental Practice
(Family Dentistry) with Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos; Dr. Tola
Owoturo, a Family Dentistry specialist with core interest in Endodontics and
Aesthetics; Dr. Dahiru Labo, Dr. Grace Mang and Dr. Bola Awokoya.
