Dental Association Seeks Urgent Reform of Oral Health Policies

ABUJA, Nigeria – The Nigerian Dental Association (NDA) has called for urgent reforms in oral health policy implementation, improved access to healthcare, and stronger national strategies to tackle trauma-related conditions and noma, a severe but preventable childhood disease.

The call was made on Tuesday at the 2025 National Oral Health and Noma Day and Diagnostic Conference held in Abuja, organised by the Federal Ministry of Health in partnership with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), WHO and other health bodies.

NDA President Tope Adeyemi said poor living conditions, malnutrition, lack of immunisation and limited access to clean water continue to worsen Nigeria’s oral health burden. Many children, he noted, remain vulnerable to preventable illnesses.

He warned that insecurity in affected communities disrupts access to healthcare and delays treatment for trauma victims. He also raised concerns over Nigeria’s growing loss of dental professionals to brain drain, leaving rural communities severely underserved.

Mr Adeyemi said the NDA has intensified online health education through programmes such as “Talk with a Dentist” and participation in international digital health events. He highlighted Nigeria’s representation at the 2025 International Data Transition API World Data Conference in Shanghai as part of wider efforts to advance digital health collaboration.

The association urged full implementation of the National Oral Health Policy, noting that effective execution would strengthen trauma care, improve noma prevention and expand primary oral healthcare services across the country.

Noma, he explained, is a rapidly progressing but preventable infection affecting malnourished children living in extreme poverty. Without early care, it can lead to severe health complications. Nigeria currently lacks official national data, though experts say the disease is most prevalent in regions with widespread poverty and poor access to basic healthcare.

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Mirian Gom

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Gom Mirian AHR Senior Correspondent, has over 8 years’ experience reporting on health, crime, education, investigations, and development issues across Nigeria and Africa. With dual degrees in Economics, she combines analytical skill with compelling storytelling. Widely recognised for her public health and humanitarian reporting, she earned a Nestlé Award nomination for compelling human-interest journalism. Follow her on Twitter @mirian_linus.

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