UI Don Advocates Formalization of Oral Health Promotion Programmes in Schools Nationwide

A Professor of Community Dentistry at University of Ibadan Professor Folake Barakat Lawal, has called for the formal establishment of oral health promotion programmes in schools across Nigeria, urging the creation of at least one school-based dental clinic in every Local Government Area.

Delivering the 607th Inaugural Lecture on behalf of the Faculty of Dentistry, Professor Lawal titled her presentation “From Schools to Glocal Communities: Impacting the Oral and General Health of Generations.” She highlighted that poor knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding oral health among pupils and students significantly affect their overall health and quality of life.

Professor Lawal shared that existing school-based oral health programmes have led to measurable improvements, and she recommended the formation of health clubs in schools to serve as a pool of peer trainers for oral health promotion. She emphasized that oral health reflects general health, noting links between periodontal diseases and conditions such as hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, dementia, and respiratory illnesses.

The lecture also addressed disparities in perception among adolescents, some of whom recognize oral health as integral to general well-being, while others deem it inconsequential. To bridge gaps, Professor Lawal proposed task-shifting strategies, where trained staff in primary healthcare centers carry out community oral health activities under supervision from dental public health practitioners, with referrals to tertiary institutions as needed.

Further recommendations included:

• Integrating oral healthcare into primary healthcare services.
• Revising teacher training curricula to include basic oral health education.
• Expanding access to self-oral healthcare information through electronic, mass media, and social media platforms.
• Deploying audio-visual aids and videos nationwide to dispel myths and improve oral health literacy.
• Establishing mobile dental care services for underserved areas.
• Using patient-reported outcomes and subjective assessment tools to complement clinical care.

Professor Lawal also urged the federal government to consider developing a larger, more comprehensive dental center at University College Hospital, Ibadan to support research, training, and service provision, given the high volume of referrals from primary and secondary facilities.

The lecture was the fourth in the 2024/2025 academic session series, reflecting Professor Lawal’s commitment to advancing oral health promotion and improving the quality of life of Nigerians from childhood through adulthood.