The Nigerian Medical Association has called for the establishment of more dental faculties in colleges of medicine and specialised universities of health sciences across the country.

The association’s president, Bala Audu, made the call on Thursday at the opening of the 58th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Nigerian Dental Association in Abuja.

Mr Audu said the dental profession has made significant progress and plays a pivotal role within the NMA and the country’s healthcare delivery system.

He stated that the growth of the NDA necessitates an increase in the number of dental practitioners, noting that this can only be achieved by establishing more dental schools nationwide.

According to him, doing so will strengthen oral health services, an area many Nigerians often neglect.

“Our colleges of medicine need to establish more faculties of dentistry, as well as our specialised universities of health sciences. This is a major advocacy responsibility for the NMA, NDA, and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria,” he said.

Mr Audu also urged the Ministry of Health to intensify efforts to establish at least one federal dental hospital in each of the country’s geopolitical zones. He said such facilities are needed to expand access to dental care and support the increasing number of candidates seeking entry into dental programmes.

Health minister Ali Pate expressed commitment to supporting professional development to transform the healthcare sector. He said the federal government is working to improve doctors’ working conditions and expand residency training opportunities.

Mr Pate also disclosed that plans are underway to introduce oral care into the National Health Insurance Scheme to strengthen access to quality oral health services.

“The ministry will continue to collaborate with the MDCN and other regulatory bodies to strengthen oversight, professional education, and accountability mechanisms,” he said.

Delivering the keynote address, Olaniyi Taiwo stated that the national oral health policy remains poorly implemented, noting that oral health is not yet fully integrated into Universal Health Coverage strategies.

He noted that national oral health survey data are outdated and surveillance systems are underfunded, affecting planning and resource allocation.

“About 3.5 billion people globally are affected by oral diseases, yet oral health is largely neglected and not covered under UHC or SDG3,” he said.

NDA president Emedom Elias stated that the conference theme reflects the association’s belief that oral health is inseparable from general health and national productivity.

(NAN)