The biting scarcity of dentists in the country has prompted the Botswana Dentists Association (BODEA) and the Ministry of Education to launch a campaign to encourage students to take up dentistry in order to fight the deficit.
With only 200 dentists, “our country is experiencing a very serious shortage of dentists,” according to the president of the dentists association, Dr Kethamile Mabaila.
She said she is worried that dental therapists in the rural areas appear to have overtaken the number of dentists who are trained to do the clinical work to prevent the deterioration of the quality of the teeth of the population. Therapists educate the nation about oral health.
However, Mabaila also noted an improvement in the national ‘month of hygiene’ since they started to raise public awareness on oral health education.
She encouraged the public to look after their teeth and avoid eating sweets that encourage dental decay.
On another note, Mabaila said on 11 and 13 November the association will hold an international conference to be attended by about 150 dentists from all over the globe.
The conference will be held at the Gaborone International Convention Centre and will be followed by a general meeting for BODEA at which a new committee will be elected.
