FG Unveils N70bn Oral Health Strategic Plan to Improve Access to Dental Services

The federal government has introduced a five-year National Oral Health Strategic Plan, estimated to cost N70 billion, aimed at improving access to affordable oral healthcare and preventing oral diseases across Nigeria. The plan was unveiled during the commemoration of the 2026 National Noma Day and National Oral Health Day in Abuja. This initiative seeks to address the country's poor oral health statistics.

According to the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, the plan aims to improve access to affordable oral healthcare, strengthen preventive services, and integrate oral health into Nigeria's primary healthcare system. He expressed concern over the low rate of dental visits, with over 80 per cent of Nigerians having never visited a dentist. Additionally, two out of every three children are living with untreated dental caries.

The minister highlighted the shortage of dental professionals in Nigeria, with a current dentist-to-population ratio of approximately 1:38,000, compared to the World Health Organisation's recommended ratio of 1:7,500. He attributed the poor state of oral healthcare to inadequate access to services, limited availability of dental professionals, and the high cost of treatment. Most Nigerians pay out-of-pocket for dental care and only seek medical attention when pain or serious complications develop.

The government is working to reverse this trend by integrating oral healthcare into primary healthcare facilities under the Sector-Wide Approach and the Basic Health Care Provision Fund. The Federal Executive Council has also approved the National Centre for Oral Health Establishment Bill 2026, which has been transmitted to the National Assembly for consideration. This bill aims to strengthen the country's oral health infrastructure.

The new strategic plan prioritises preventive care, including access to fluoride toothpaste, school oral health programmes, sugar-reduction initiatives, and the integration of oral health into nutrition, maternal and child health, and non-communicable disease programmes. It also aims to strengthen the training and equitable distribution of oral health personnel, improve primary healthcare infrastructure and equipment, and establish stronger referral systems.

The minister also addressed the issue of Noma, a preventable but devastating infection that destroys tissues of the mouth and face, particularly among malnourished and immunocompromised children. Nigeria carries one of the highest burdens of Noma globally, with the disease more prevalent in the North-West and North-East. The federal government has integrated Noma surveillance into the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response system to improve early identification and referral of affected children.

The ministry has trained frontline healthcare workers, traditional healers, and traditional birth attendants in 19 states on the early identification of Noma and other oral diseases. The government is working to expand access to dental services across the 774 local government areas, with a focus on preventive care and improving the country's oral health statistics.

Key points

• The plan aims to improve access to affordable oral healthcare and prevent oral diseases.
• Nigeria has a dentist-to-population ratio of approximately 1:38,000.
• The government has integrated Noma surveillance into the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response system.