A critique of existing national dental health services systems.

Dental care systems are predominantly based on the engineering and curative approach to the body, which does not necessarily improve dental health. In many western countries, including some developing countries, tooth loss is still prevalent amid sophisticated systems of dental care. The two major dental diseases, dental caries and periodontal disease, are almost entirely preventable. Against this background, a dental care system should encourage those working in it to apply known effective methods to improve and maintain the oral health of the population. The perceptions of people toward dental health have long been disregarded by the profession, to the extent that individuals are victim-blamed, irrespective of the existing socioenvironmental factors that may influence an individual's attitude towards dental services. The community must be involved in the planning and decision-making processes of any health service program to facilitate cooperation by the population in oral care.