The Need for a National Dental Institute in Nigeria

Abstract

To The Editor,
Nigeria’s health system has evolved over the years, with many successes being recorded in research, trainings, medical breakthroughs, and outstanding human capacity development in the medical and health field, while producing lots of professionals who have gone ahead to perform great feats locally and at the global stage.[1] In achieving this, the nation has established several health institutes that have contributed massively to make this happen.[2]

The first health institute in Nigeria was the West African Council for Medical Research (WACMR) which was established in 1920.[3] Later, the WACMR became the current Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR).[3] The NIMR is currently saddled with the responsibility of: carrying out research on communicable and noncommunicable diseases, playing vital roles in developing health systems, disseminating medical and public health research findings, and providing trainings for federal and state ministries of health.[3] The same can be said of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control which was created in 2011 to lead infectious disease outbreak preparedness, detection, and control and contribute to health policy development in Nigeria.[4]\

Other relevant health-care institutes in Nigeria include the National Eye Centre (Kaduna), National Ear Care Centre (Kaduna), the National Orthopaedic Hospitals(in Lagos, Enugu, and Kano) as well as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control created in 1988 to regulate the control of drug manufacturing, exportation, and distribution among other things.[5] However, there is no National Dental Institute in Nigeria, till date, despite the increased orofacial disease burden occasioned by higher attendance of individuals with dental problems and fewer practitioners.[6]\

There is, therefore, the need for the Federal Government of Nigeria to establish a national institute that will conduct research, develop 
oral health policy documents, launch dental education programs, gather necessary data on oral health, and oversee the curtailment 
of the high orofacial health problems, and by implication, having a productive society that enjoys optimal oral health.[5,6]