MDent, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 2009 / An analysis of the patterns of dental treatment delivered over a period of time provides administrators with data from which they can assess the quality of service delivery being delivered so that they can make improvements where necessary. This may be referred to as a situation analysis.
Oral Health surveys on the other hand drive policy decisions. The oral health needs of a population are identified in the surveys thus allowing the formulation of an oral health care policy for the country.
In Mauritius neither situation analyses nor oral health surveys have been conducted. The only study into this oral health status of the population in Mauritius has been a DMFT study carried out by the WHO - 1989) 1990
Objectives of this study
Little data exists at a local/district level on the patterns of dental care provided over a long term basis at individual clinics. This study sought to compare patterns of dental treatments at a selected clinic over a six year period. The aims were to
(1) To investigate the pattern of treatment delivered at a particular dental clinic
(Chemin Grenier Dental Clinic) in Mauritius over a period of seven years from year 2000 to year 2006.
(2) Determine whether the package of care offered has changed over the study
period.
(3) To provide recommendations on how to improve the delivery of oral health care
at dental clinics in Mauritius.
Materials and methods
The research location was Chemin Grenier, a village in Mauritius, an island state in the middle of the Indian Ocean. It has a state funded dental clinic, where all treatment is free of charge. All the data for the purpose of this study has been obtained from this clinic. Since the introduction of free oral health care in Mauritius, extractions have been most common dental treatment offered in the public service.
The treatment offered were divided into three categories, namely,
Dental extractions
Conservative procedures aiming at preserving dentition, that is restorative work
Preventive work which included scaling and fissure sealant placements
The data was collected from monthly summary sheets of treatment performed at the clinic. They were compiled and the results were showcased by graphs and tables.
Results The results show that patient attendances have gradually increased placing additional pressure on a already overloaded system.
The treatment delivered has changed over the period of the survey with a decrease in the relative percentages of extractions done and a concomitant increase in restorative procedures. Preventative treatment has remained relatively constant over the period analysed.
Conclusion
If significant changes are to be affected in the oral health status of the population in Mauritius prefer planning a necessary. The following strategy is recommended
A - Carry out an assessment of the oral health status of the community. (Natural Oral Health Survey ) which will provide quantitative data and also of the perceptions of oral health in terms of it being a priority in their lives which will provide the quantitative data.
P - Develop a National Oral Health Policy basal on this data.
A - Ensure that the dental service are delivered in terms of this policy.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/7664 |
| Date | 12 March 2010 |
| Creators | Ramphul, Avisham |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
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