- Preventive and curative programs targeting all age groups from newborns to the elderly.
According to the latest statistics of the World Health Organization (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.
In this context, Dr. Rami Assad, Senior Oral and Dental Surgery Consultant and Director of Dentistry at PHCC, has confirmed that the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) has joined forces to organize 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. 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. In addition, the campaigns seek to promoting 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. Dr. Rami emphasized the significance of community collaboration in addressing the issue of missing pre-booked appointments as it continues to be a major obstacle to overcome and forms a substantial part of the challenges at hand. PHCC dental clinics therefore recommend patients to either attend their appointments on time or cancel the appointment if they are unable to attend. 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.
In addition, PHCC has developed preventive and curative programs targeting all age groups starting from newborns, pregnant mothers and extended to the elderly.
PHCC dental clinics consist of general dentistry clinics and specialized dental clinics. The specialized clinics comprise of oral surgery clinics which provides dental services such as extracting worn teeth and wisdom teeth; the pediatric dental clinics which provide treatment for primary and permanent tooth and raise 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 provides dental treatment services for back teeth and some complex cases; and gum disease clinics which provide treatments for gum diseases that affect the periodontium.
On this occasion, PHCC recommends all patients to maintain daily dental hygiene and washing practices 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. Additionally, it is strongly advised to refrain from engaging in detrimental health habits such as smoking and consuming tobacco derivatives, including suika.