Oral health seminar sparks ideas for change

Mahikeng – An all-day seminar held by the North West Department of Health on Friday, 18 August ignited new ideas amongst dental officers on how to do things differently to benefit recipients of dental health services. 

The objective of the seminar, which was facilitated by the Wits University School of Oral Health Sciences, was to train oral health practitioners serving in both the public and private sector and expose them to the latest trends and procedures in the world of dentistry.

Topics discussed during this seminar was management of emergencies and trauma in the general dental setting, sugar tax, head and neck cancer, abused child and ethics, and school based prevention and evidence based dentistry.

With regard to school based prevention, delegates were encouraged to do screening from time to time and conduct oral health education and education campaigns in schools.

Currently in the North West Province, oral health services are being provided in all community health centres and hospitals while mobile dental clinics are being utilized to provide outreach services at schools, clinics and mobile points.