Dental Health Issues in India

Extensive research in public health has shown that a number of individual, professional, and community preventive measures are effective in preventing most oral diseases.

Dental diseases are a significant public health burden in India as well as across the globe. WHO recognizes the oral health as an integral part of general health. The consequences of widespread poor oral health can be seen on the personal, population, and health systems level, as caries and periodontal disease deteriorates the individual health and wellbeing, decrease economic productivity, and act as significant risk factors for other systemic health ailments.

Why does oral healthcare in rural areas deserve a closer look?  

Many practitioners and institutions have tried to produce a solution for screenings and treatment. But due to the pandemic, these services render inadequate and ineffective.

The divide spans across different geographic locations and demographic groups. The current Oral healthcare services and dental practitioners face a wide variety of issues due to this divide. While the Urban population is on the rise and the rural population is on the decline, there is still a wide gap between the two. Delivering healthcare facilities is a tough challenge. Majority of the Indian population lives in rural areas while most of the primary dental care facilities are only available in urban areas.

Current Solution

Portable dental units can be of advantage in places like naturally isolated areas such as high altitudes or dense forests, defence and government programs, or disaster situations where mobile dental units cannot be transported.

The successful implementation and execution of oral health care delivery using the mobile and portable dental services rely on collaborative efforts of:

• Professional dental organizations
• Non government organizations
• Government sector
• Local civil society.

Case Study Download:
• Designing an Oral Healthcare Vehicle......