Patients missing pre-booked appointments at the Primary Health Care Corporation’s (PHCC) dental clinics continue to be a major obstacle in delivering effective care, a senior official has pointed out.
“PHCC dental clinics therefore recommend patients to either attend their appointments on time or cancel the appointment if they are unable to attend,” urged Dr Rami Assad, senior oral and dental surgery consultant and director of dentistry.
“This ensures that other patients can receive the necessary timely care without delay, ultimately enhancing oral and dental health in the community and reducing the prevalence of tooth decay and other oral diseases,” he explained in a statement.
The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and PHCC have joined forces to organise awareness campaigns focused on the importance of oral disease prevention including tooth decay and gum infections, highlighting the role of oral health in improving the overall health and quality of life, Dr Assad pointed out.
These campaigns also focus on encouraging the consumption of healthy low-sugar food and avoiding smoking and tobacco chewing as they show the positive impact of a healthy diet on oral health and raise awareness about the harmful effects of smoking.
The campaigns also seek to promote a culture of regular oral check-up at dental clinics for the early preventive screening of any oral health problems and taking the necessary measures. In addition, PHCC has developed preventive and curative programmes targeting all age groups starting from newborns, pregnant mothers and extending to the elderly.
PHCC dental clinics consist of general dentistry and specialised ones. The specialised clinics comprise of oral surgery clinics which provides services such as extracting worn teeth and wisdom teeth. The paediatric dental clinics provide treatment for primary and permanent tooth and raises the awareness of parents on the importance of maintaining healthy teeth and the impact on their children’s quality of life. Root canal and conservative treatment clinics provide services for back teeth and some complex cases, while gum disease clinics cater to conditions that affect the periodontium.
PHCC has urged all patients to maintain daily dental hygiene and brushing at least twice a day. It is also recommended to schedule regular visits to dental clinics twice a year for preventive treatments and to adopt healthy diets. It is strongly advised to refrain from smoking and consuming tobacco derivatives, including suika.
“According to the latest statistics of the World Health Organisation (WHO), the ratio of dentists to population in Qatar is 6.2 dentists per 10,000 persons, which is significantly higher than the global average. In light of this, the government of Qatar has provided all services aimed at improving oral and dental health in the community,” Dr Assad added.