Some Nigerian Dentists and Oral Health Workers Assessment of the Dental Health Care Needs of Their Nation s Primary School-Age-Children

Though of no less importance than the other aspects of the health care needs of children, observations and personal experiences show that the Nigerian government seems to down play the required attendance to provision for and use of oral and dental health care facilities. This is the focus and report of this assessment survey of 1000 purposive, random sample of dentists and oral health dispensers to children who come under their care in selected urban and rural dental care centers in South-West of Nigeria. The data from the survey highlight the well less than required facilities and poor patronage of the facilities despite the prevalence of related illnesses and diseases peculiar to patients in the age range of 3-13 years. The study thus conclude on the need for the Government to move on the strength of the Child Right Legislation to implementing actions that would not only enhance oral and dental health like fluidization of community sources of water supply, reintroduction of hygiene checks for children in schools and making needed referrals and also allowing donor agencies to participate in fulfilling the oral and health care needs of Nigerian children. This may come through sponsoring and financing Nigerian children s regular visit to the dentists.