The Dental Health Services Department is embarking on a project to review its dental procedures manual, 21 years after it was first introduced.
Chief Dental Officer, Dr. Idaline John says the goal of the review of the manual is to promote the use of the revised operating procedures for dental professionals.
“The review and updating of the standards operating manual will promote the delivery and quality of clinical and preventive services in a quality and efficient manner to all those eligible for care at all the Ministry of Health clinics,” she noted.
The manual, according to Dr. John, will also act as a guide of procedures to follow policies set by the Ministry of Health and the Dental Health Services.
John says following the review of the manual, it will be updated to become a more user-friendly procedure manual. It is expected that the review will also result in increased collaboration between primary health care and dental health services.
The Chief Dental Officer revealed that oral health care providers will be trained in the proper use of the manual to ensure its effective use.
A review workshop with dental professionals was held on Thursday January 24th 2013.
“The objectives of the workshop are to review the existing dental services procedures manual, to adhere to current standards as recommended by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO)” confirmed Dr. John.
The workshop according to John will also seek to establish linkages between oral health services and primary health care at a national level and between the oral health services department and the Ministry of Education.
The Pan American Health Organization PAHO is providing the financial resources to ensure the success of the update of the manual.
PAHO’s local representative, Shirley Augustine endorsed the review of the manual saying that it is in keeping with internationally-acceptable oral health standards..
“The mission of PAHO’s oral health program is to strengthen oral health services through communication and collaboration among member countries to provide the information and resources necessary to provide equal and quality oral health care for all people in the Americas, especially for the most vulnerable populations,“ Augustine noted.
The PAHO representative has advocated for the full use of the dental services procedures manual once formalized.
“I applaud the efforts of the dental unit and I sincerely hope that the revised manual will not sit on a shelf but that it will be a tool which will be utilized on a day-to-day basis as we seek to bring quality health care to the Dominican population,” said Augustine.
The existing dental procedures manual was developed in the early 1990’s.
The procedures manual titled Dental Health Services Manual was developed and formed part of the staff support component of the primary dental care program at that time.