Oral Health Challenges from Saudi Arabia

Dr. Mohammad Al-Rafee

General Director of Dental ServicesMinistry of Health, Saudi Arabia

Outline:

• Demographic data • Trends in dental caries • Dental Services • Obstacles and Challenges• The way forward

KSA Demographic data (2012)*:

•Kingdom size: 2,250,000 sq. km.

• Population (2012): 29,195,895

• 0-14 years: (31.41 %)• 15-64 years : (65.73 %)• 65 years and over: (2.86 %)

• Annual growth rate : (3.19 %)

• Saudi: (68.4 %) Non-Saudi : (31.6%)

* Source: Central Department Of Statistics & Information, KSA, 2012

Trends in dental caries (KSA):

• 1980s:

- (6-9 years old):

dmft (boys)= 4.14 (girls)= 3.43

- (12 years old):

DMFT (boys)= 1.61 (girls)= 1.68

Source : Al-Shammery AR, Guile EE, el-Backly M. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 1990

Trends in dental caries (KSA):

• 1990s:

- (6-7 years old):

dmft = 4.3

- (12-13 years old):

DMFT (rural)= 2.65 (urban)= 2.69

Sources : Alshammery AR, J Public Health Dent. 1999 Oral Health Survey of Saudi Arabia, 1991-1994

Trends in dental caries (KSA):

• 2000s:

- (6-7 years old):

dmft (Riyadh)= 6.53 (Qassem)= 6.35

- (12-13 years old):

DMFT (Riyadh)= 5.06 (Qassem)= 4.53

• Source : Aldosari AM, Akapata ES, Wyne A, Khan N. Study’s Final Report, March 2001

Trends in dental caries (KSA):

• 2000s:

- (6-7 years old):

dmft (Riyadh)= 7.34 (Al Wazzan KA, Saudi Dent. J. 2004)

- (12-13 years old):

DMFT (Riyadh)= 5.94 (Al Sadhan SA, Saudi Dent. J. 2006)

Trends in dental caries (KSA):

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Albaha Aseer Madinah Dammam Jizan Najran

dmft

dmft for 6-7 years old children in six regions of Saudi Arabia

Sugar consumption (per capita):

Country Per capita sugar consumption kilogrammes - raw value (2005)*

KSA 32.9 (was 28.8 in 1991)

*Figures above are for centrifugal sugars (cane and beet sugars) only.

Source: Sugar yearbook 2005, cited in: www.whocollab.od.mah.se/expl/globalsugar.html

Dental Services, MOH, KSA (cont.):

• Manpower (MOH only)

ManpowerYear

2000 2003 2005 2012Dentists 1,255 1,504 1,655 2524

Hygienists 160 248 257 316

Technicians 291 323 486 575

Assistants 238 630 755 1416

Dental Services, MOH, KSA (cont.):

• Total dentists in KSA 10150

• Dentist to population ratio in KSA 1: 2876

Strategic Plan for Dental Services in MOH for the next 10 years

Target Ratio 1 : 2000

Target Total Dentist No. in KSA 13569

Target Dentist No.In MOH (60%)

8141

Current No. of Dentist (MOH) 2524

Shortage in Dentist No.)MOH(

5617

Challenges

• Nature of the problem:

• Dental caries – Irrevesable damages• Prevention - Human behavior

• Kingdom diversity.

1800 Km

1400 Km

• No. Of cities and villages

245 (> 5000 inhabitants)

•No Children per Family

4-7

• StaffShortage.

Educational background.

Attitude towards prevention.

Real participation and contribution in

preventive activities.

• Decision makers

THE NEGLECTED EPIDEMIC: Oral Diseases

Local and International Organisations

• Funding: (Toward prevention)

The way forward:

More investment in prevention.

Evidence-based (effective and efficient).

Thinking Institutionally.

• Water Fluoridation• School Programs• Seal Saudi Arabia!!

Thank you