Taljaard L T
Int Dent J. 1977 Mar;27(1):1-9.
The dental needs of a heterogeneous South African community are not being fully met because the majority of the already deficient dentist population is in private practice, mostly in urban areas, where they are rendering services to a small minority of the population who can afford comprehensive dental care. Contrary to public health services in general, public dental services are inadequate in extent and provide a limited range of treatment to some eighty-five per cent of the population. Millions of under-privileged people, particularly in rural areas, are not within range of any professional dental care whatsoever. Organized community preventive programmes and dental health education on a national basis are non-existent. Water fluoridation has not yet become a reality. Realizing the shortcomings in community dental services the Government recently adopted a national dental health policy which is aimed at limiting and preventing dental diseases and also at expanding the public dental service to bring it within reach of all sections of the community. In order to meet the dental needs of the community and also to give momentum to the national dental health policy, the following steps are being taken as far as dental education is concerned: (i) The Department of Health is planning to assist universities to establish departments of community dentistry with the object of promoting extended education in community dentistry at under-graduate and post-graduate level. (ii) Consideration is being given to a scheme whereby dental students will have to do one year compulsory intership. (iii) Additional dental schools are being established to enable more non-White dentists to qualify. (iv) With the extended education in community dentistry it is hoped to draw more dentists into community dental services. (v) Dental therapists are being educated to perform duties such as extractions, simple fillings, prevention and dental health education, under the supervision of dentists, in areas where the shortage of dentists is most crucial.
南非一个多元化社区的牙科需求尚未得到充分满足，因为在本就数量不足的牙医群体中，大多数人都在私人诊所工作，且大多集中在城市地区，他们只为一小部分有能力负担全面牙科护理的人群提供服务。与一般公共卫生服务不同，公共牙科服务范围不足，只为约85%的人口提供有限的治疗。数以百万计的贫困人口，尤其是农村地区的贫困人口，根本无法获得任何专业牙科护理。全国范围内没有有组织的社区预防计划和牙科健康教育。水氟化尚未成为现实。政府意识到社区牙科服务存在的不足，最近通过了一项国家牙科健康政策，旨在限制和预防牙科疾病，并扩大公共牙科服务，使社区各阶层都能享受到。为了满足社区的牙科需求，并推动国家牙科健康政策的实施，在牙科教育方面正在采取以下措施：(i) 卫生部计划协助各大学设立社区牙科系，目的是在本科和研究生阶段推广社区牙科教育。(ii) 正在考虑一项计划，即牙科学生必须进行为期一年的强制实习。(iii) 正在设立更多的牙科学院，以使更多非白人牙医获得资格。(iv) 通过社区牙科的推广教育，希望吸引更多牙医投身社区牙科服务。(v) 正在培训牙科治疗师，以便在牙医短缺最为严重的地区，在牙医的监督下履行拔牙、简单补牙、预防和牙科健康教育等职责。
