Kenya has been ranked as one of the countries in the region with the lowest number of dentists.
Data from the Kenya Dentists Association indicate that one dentist is serving over 70,000 persons against the World Health Organization recommendations of one dentist per 7,000 patients.
This emerged during the Association’s 39th at Annual scientific conference in Lake Naivasha Resort where it emerged that cases of oral diseases were on rise.
During the three-day conference, County Governments were challenged by participants to employ more dentists in a bid to address the emerging diseases.
The Association Chairman Dr Tim Theuri said that they were pushing for the employment of more dentists as the current situation was wanting.
He noted that the low number of dentists was affecting efforts to deal with oral diseases which were on the rise due to a change in diet.
Addressing the participants, Theuri admitted that technology was the way to go in a bid to address the oral burden caused by staff shortage.
“We are working closely with the community to improve disease surveillance and give them tools for proper dental screening,” he said.
The CEC nominee for health docket in Nakuru County Dr Samuel Mwaura noted that the country had 876 registered dentists, a figure he termed as too low.
Mwaura who was the Chief guest added that of the number 172 were specialised dentists spread across the country with Nakuru hosting five only.
“Oral health care is very critical in this country but unfortunately the government has not invested in dentists, meaning more suffering for our people,” he said.
He said that the county government had heavily invested in dental health through provision of personnel and equipment in health centres.
He decried the high number of residents suffering from fluorosis, a condition he blamed on the high fluoride levels in water consumed in parts of the county.
“Many people in Naivasha, Gilgil and Bahati are suffering from fluorosis and we call on more research on how this condition can be reversed,” he said.
On her part, KDA Council member Dr Eva Njenga said that by the end of last year, the association had 793 registered dentists.
She added that cases of dental problems were on the rise mainly due to change of diet while lauding Nakuru County for investing in oral health.
“For years many Kenyans have been forced to fly out to seek dental care but with the investment in technology, this will be a thing of the past,” she said.
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