Kota Kinabalu: The State Government has formed an action committee to address the State’s high prevalence of dental caries (tooth decay), with key focus on providing fluoridated water to the population.
Political Secretary to the Chief Minister, Datuk Dr Roland Chia, said the committee was announced in the State Assembly in 2023.
“The Sabah Health Development Joint Action committee is being headed by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad on the federal side. On the State side, it is headed by Local Government and Housing Minister Dr Joachim Gunsalam, as well as State Community Development and People’s Well-being Minister Datuk James Ratib.
“So, these things have been taken up in terms of the caries, fluoridation as well as personnel,” he said during the 13th Borneo Dental Congress & Trade Exhibition Gathers Global Experts at Magellan Sutera Harbour, here, Saturday.
Dr Chia said the State Government was committed in overcoming the dental caries issue, and it was the first government which committed to look into water fluoridation.
He added that technical meetings would be held to look into how to implement water fluoridation in the near future.
“We hope that with the water fluoridation, we can reduce teeth caries,” said Dr Chia.
On the issue of low dentist-to-population ratio, Dr Chia said the committee is looking into how to increase the dentist population in Sabah.
“They have their third meeting already, and I was told that the special committee is looking into the dentist population issue, especially in the rural areas,” he said.
Dr Chia said the State Government would be always supportive if University Malaysia Sabah introduces a dentistry course.
“We hope it can become a reality. We will definitely support because once we have a dental school, then we can train more dentists,” said Dr Chia.
Sabah Dental Practices Society President Dr James Chua said it was good that they have been in communications with the State Government about the tooth decay issue.
“Recently the matters have been highlighted very much, but as Dr Chia said, Rome is not built in one day. As long as we start the conversation, we start actions, plans and there will be progress. There is hope and there is progress,” he said.
According to Deputy Director of Health (Oral Health Division), State Health Department, Dr Thaddius Herman Anak Maling, so far there are 306 dentists for the government clinics but he did not have the number for the private sector.
“Basically, we have 44 government clinics throughout the State, 213 private clinics and roughly about one dentist to 4,754 population ratio.
“We have less Sabahan dentists to serve in Sabah. Most of our dentists after two years serving in Sabah go back to peninsula or Sarawak,” he said.
