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OUTPATIENT SERVICES

Outpatient

ORAL HEALTHCARE FOR ADULTS is provided on a demand basis. More complex cases are referred to dental specialists for further management. The outpatient dental service provides a safety net for the less fortunate groups in realizing the service objective of improving the dental health status of the population. About a quarter of the Malaysian population utilize MOH dental services.

ANTENATAL SERVICE

The aim of the ANTE-NATAL PROGRAMME is to impart oral health knowledge to mothers as agents-of-change for oral health in the home environment by stimulating behavioral change amongst family members. They are also given free oral health treatment. Ante natal mothers who frequent the Maternal and Child Health Clinics are referred to the nearest government dental clinics for oral health promotion sessions and routine examinations. Further appointments are scheduled, if necessary.

SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE

The SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE is the main thrust of the public oral health services. Oral healthcare to primary and secondary school children is delivered through the School Dental Service (SDS) which utilizes the Incremental Dental Care Approach, a systematic and comprehensive approach for delivery of care with the final objective that the children achieve an orally-fit status. Care is delivered mainly at school dental clinics, dental clinics, mobile dental teams and complemented by mobile dental clinics. The SDS has been successful at reducing the caries experience of school children. Expansion to reach almost 98.2% of primary and 84.0% of secondary schoolchildren in 2009 has been largely through the outreach strategy implemented since the early 1970s. These mobile teams utilizing portable equipment, have brought oral healthcare to even the most remote areas. Mobile dental teams has increased about 37-fold from 13 in 1970 to 476 in 2008.

PRE-SCHOOL SERVICE

Pre-School Service

The oral healthcare programme for PRESCHOOL CHILDREN was launched in 1984 for kindergartens. This programme utilizes a friendly, non-invasive approach whereby dental nurses introduced dentistry to children via promotional and preventive initiatives. These include tooth brushing sessions, puppet shows, role-play and other fun activities. In keeping with the non-invasive approach, Atraumatic Restorative Technique (ART) is adopted to provide necessary restorative care for the children.

TODDLER PROGRAMME

toddler
The EARLY CHILDHOOD ORAL HEALTHCARE PROGRAMME is an extension of the antenatal programme and targets postnatal mothers and parents/carers of children aged 4 years and below who are seen under the Child Health Services of the Ministry of Health (MOH). The main objective of the early childhood oral healthcare programme is to promote and maintain good oral health of toddlers towards achieving their optimum growth and development.