President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof. Bala Audu, has called for the establishment of more dental faculties in colleges of medicine and specialised universities of health sciences across the country.
Audu made the appeal on Thursday at the opening session of the 58th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Nigerian Dental Association (NDA) in Abuja.
The theme of the conference is “Healthy Smiles, Sustainable Futures: Integrating National Sustainable Development Goals.”
The sub-themes include “The Brain Drain Effect: Understanding the Impact of Dentist Migration on Nigeria’s Oral Health Care System,” “Ethical Considerations in the Practice of Dentistry in Nigeria,” and “Recent Advances in Maxillofacial Trauma.”
The NMA President said the dental profession has made significant progress in Nigeria and continues to play a vital role in the country’s healthcare delivery system.
He noted that the evolution of the profession requires an increase in the number of dental practitioners, which can only be achieved by expanding dental training institutions.
According to him, introducing more dental schools and strengthening existing ones will help give greater prominence to oral health, an area he said many Nigerians still overlook.
“Our colleges of medicine across the country need to establish more faculties of dentistry, as well as specialised universities of health sciences. This is a key responsibility of the NMA, the NDA and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to the profession and to citizens,” he said.
Audu also urged the Ministry of Health to intensify advocacy for the establishment of at least one federal dental hospital in each geopolitical zone to enhance access to oral healthcare and meet the growing demand for dental education.
Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, represented by Dr. Jimoh Salaudeen, Director of Hospital Services, said the ministry remains committed to supporting professional development initiatives that will strengthen the health sector.
He said government is working to improve the working conditions of medical doctors and expand residency training programmes.
Pate announced that plans are under way to include oral care services in the National Health Insurance Scheme to enhance access to quality healthcare.
“The ministry will continue to collaborate with regulatory bodies to strengthen oversight functions and ensure accountability while preserving the dignity of the profession,” he said.
Delivering the keynote lecture, Dr. Olaniyi Taiwo noted that Nigeria’s national oral health policy is poorly implemented and that oral health is yet to be fully integrated into Universal Health Coverage strategies.
He said outdated data and weak surveillance systems hinder proper planning and resource allocation.
He stressed that oral health is an integral part of general health, noting that global estimates show about 3.5 billion people suffer from oral diseases, yet oral health remains neglected in health coverage frameworks and is not explicitly recognised under SDG 3.
Earlier, NDA President, Dr. Emedom Elias, said the theme and sub-themes of this year’s conference reflect the association’s belief that oral health is inseparable from overall health and national productivity.
He said the conference aims to broaden members’ knowledge, enhance professional capacity, and inspire action to improve oral healthcare delivery.
He added that dentistry thrives on collaboration and shared expertise, and that the NDA will continue to work closely with partners such as the International Federation of Dentists, the Commonwealth Dental Association and the International Association for Dental Research.
