ABU DHABI — Oral Health Day (OHD) will be observed in the country on April 14 every year, according to a decision of the Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD).
More than 450 oral health professionals, including dental practitioners, dental nurses, assistants, hygienists and technicians from both the public and private sector met this week at HAAD’s premises to mark the occasion, and underline how essential it is for oral health professionals to commit to continuous medical education.
“The Authority is committed, under the directives of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to continuously improve the health services throughout the emirate of Abu Dhabi by increasing the knowledge and awareness of both the population and our health care professionals,” said Saif Al Qubaisi, Director of Health Provision Department at HAAD while addressing the gathering.
Dr Eissa Al Hosani, Vice-Chairman of the Oral Health Steering Committee and Regional Oral Health Director, stressed that many oral diseases were very common and should be declared as epidemics, calling for partnerships between public and private sectors to solve most persisting oral diseases.
“There is an urgent need to bridge the cultural divide between treatment and prevention, he urged, noting that this could only be achieved if every practitioner promotes preventive measures in day-to-day practice.
Creation of a coding system for various dental procedures and acquisition of a clinic management system will enable the inclusion of dental procedures in insurance plans, said Dr David Matear, Chairman of the Oral Health Steering Committee.
Participants shed light on various aspects of oral health.