More dental care facilities planned

JAKARTA (JP): The government plans to boost dental care facilities throughout Indonesia despite the lack of awareness of basic dental hygiene among the general public.

In line with this year's World Health Day theme of promoting oral health, the government hopes that all community health centers will eventually be equipped with dental care facilities.

World Health Day falls on April 7.

Dentists would be retained on the government's payroll just like general practitioners to work at state hospitals or health centers, Secretary General of the Ministry of Health Hidayat Hardjoprawito said yesterday.

Hidayat told a press conference that besides dental care facilities, the government will provide houses and motorcycles for dentists who practice at the community health centers.

He acknowledged, however, that there is still a severe shortage of dentists in Indonesia, with one dentist available for every 22,500 people. With most dentists bunched up in urban areas, the shortage is even more pronounced in remote regions.

In spite of the shortages, there are currently 1,100 unemployed dentists, and each year the country produces 55 new dentists. "Most dentists are women who are reluctant to work in remote areas," Hidayat said.

The government also plans to distribute toothpaste containing fluoride freely in villages that have the highest incidence of oral health problems, he added.

The Association of Indonesian Dentists (PDGI) is also joining in the campaign by planning to launch free dental care services in selected locations in Indonesia this month.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has chosen oral health for this year's theme for World Health Day because of indications that oral health problems have increased worldwide in recent years.

"There are preventive programs offered by WHO; proper oral hygiene, eating habits, and the use of fluoride. WHO is working together with the Indonesian government to improve oral health in this area," Robert Kim Farley, WHO's chief representative in Indonesia, told the same press conference.

WHO has been urging the governments of developing countries to provide tax incentives to toothpaste manufacturers which use fluoride because it helps reduce the incidence of oral disease. (01)