Experts: One dentist for 50\,000 rural people

Experts: One dentist for 50,000 rural people

Although there are nearly 6,000 dentists in Bengaluru and 30,000 across Karnataka, the dentist-to-patient ratio is low in urban and rural pockets, said e xperts at an event here on Frida y. TNN  |  December 16, 2018, 09:00 IST
Experts: One dentist for 50,000 rural people BENGALURU: Although there are nearly 6,000 dentists in Bengaluru and 30,000 across Karnataka, the dentist-to-patient ratio is low in urban and rural pockets, said experts at an event here on Friday.

While the ratio in urban Karnataka is 1:8000, the situation is worse in rural areas where there is only one dentist for 50,000 people, said experts at an annual conference organized by the Karnataka chapter of Indian Dental Association (IDA).

“According to the World Health Organisation, the ratio of 1:7500 is considered ideal although most industrialized countries have 1:2000. While the US has a dentist-to-patient ratio of 1:1800, it stands at 1:150000 in Africa. Governments in other countries have oral health policies in place — unlike in India, which has not yet identified dental diseases as a growing health concern,” said Dr Jayaka r Shetty M, vice-president, Dental Council of India.