Oral health in Syria

The aim of this paper is to describe and analyse the oral health situation in Syria in the last two decades and to propose recommendations for improvement of the current situation. The epidemiological data on caries of the last two decades did not indicate a decrease in the DMFT value of various age...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International dental journal 2004-12, Vol.54 (6 Suppl 1), p.383-388
Main Authors: Beiruti, N, van Palenstein Helderman, W H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Child
Dental Caries - epidemiology
Dental Health Services - statistics & numerical data
Dental Hygienists - statistics & numerical data
Dentistry
Dentistry, Operative - statistics & numerical data
DMF Index
Health Services Accessibility - statistics & numerical data
Health Services Needs and Demand - statistics & numerical data
Health Status
Humans
Oral Health
Preventive Dentistry - statistics & numerical data
Public Sector - statistics & numerical data
Syria - epidemiology
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Summary:The aim of this paper is to describe and analyse the oral health situation in Syria in the last two decades and to propose recommendations for improvement of the current situation. The epidemiological data on caries of the last two decades did not indicate a decrease in the DMFT value of various age groups, nor was a decrease in the percentage of untreated caries apparent. The unequal distribution of oral health care continued to exist throughout the country, despite an enormous increase in the number of dentists from about 2,000 in 1985 to about 14,500 in 2002. The affluent part of the population is served with technically oriented expensive dental services. The public sector suffers from limited finance, the absence of appropriate technology in restorative dentistry and the lack of a community and preventive oriented approach. It is recommended to utilise dental hygienists in the public sector, since these auxiliaries if appropriately trained can offer the preventive and curative oral care wanted and demanded by the poor and that the government and the people can afford.
ISSN:0020-6539