Oral health service delivery in Limpopo Province

There is little published evidence on the current state of oral health service delivery in Limpopo Province. AIM AND OBJECTIVES: To assess oral health service delivery in the public sector in Limpopo Province. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional, explorative and descriptive study using a combination of qualitative and quantitative data to assess oral health service delivery. Data collection included self-administered questionnaires, a face-to-face interview and statistical records on oral health services. Convenience sampling was used to select oral health care workers (n=84) and purposive sampling to select Oral Health District Managers (n=5). An in-depth face- to- face interview was conducted with the Provincial Oral Health Manager. RESULTS: The most common clinical procedure was dental extractions (ranging from 59% to 85% of the total headcount for patient visits in the identified month). Less than a quarter of respondents (n=19, 23%) indicated that dental resources were adequate and fewer that resources were easily available (n=17, 21%). Themes arising from data analysis included lack of policy support; no dedicated funding; and poor oral health representation within different levels of the health system. CONCLUSION: There is an urgent need for re-orientation of oral health services towards prevention and promotion.