oral health status and the challenges of preventive measures in the country of georgia

PROF. VLADIMER MARGVELASHVILI, DDS, MSC, PHD

HEADDEPARTMENT OF DENTISTRY AND MAXILLO-FACIAL

SURGERYTBILISI STATE UNIVERSITY

Oral Health Status and the challenges of preventive

measures in the country of Georgia

Introduction

Region of Caucasus69 700 km 2

Part of the Soviet Union from1921 until 1991Republic of Georgia

Introduction

Population is 4 632 23052.21% are female and 47.79% are male55.25% is in urban and 44.75% in rural areas

Health Insurance

Georgia oral health is almost exclusively provided on a private basis and is not funded by the State

Government covers only urgent medical services

- Children up to one year - people with disabilities - pregnant women - military personnel - pensioners

Oral Health Education

No state oral health education programsSince 2006 Colgate-Palmolive program

“Bright Smile Bright Future”

- 70 000 first and second grade (6 and 7 years old) school children

- Around 70% were from the capital, and 30% from the regions

Dental Workforce

8423 dentists (2012 data)Ratio of population per dentist is 55065% female and 35% male

Margvelashvili M et al. 2013

Dental Workforce

Sub-Specialty Number of Dentists

Pedodontics 328

Pedodontic surgical dentistry 125

Therapeutic dentistry (conservative dentistry,

endodontics, periodontology)

5781

Prosthetic dentistry 813

Surgical dentistry 1244

Orthodontics 97

Maxilla-facial surgery 35

Continuing education programs are not mandatory

Margvelashvili M et al. 2013

Dental Education

11 dental schools5 years of studies600 graduates per year (over production)Residency programs are mandatory450 graduated dentists enter residency

program per year

Margvelashvili M et al. 2013

Epidemiology

No comprehensive epidemiological studies 1985-2012

In 2012 a national epidemiological survey was conducted

Fourth edition of "Oral Health Surveys - Basic methods," Geneva 1997

Caries Experience

1052 children were examined

Caries Experience

Age Group dmf DMF Caries Free

First Grade (5-6 years)

4.4 0.04 68 (16.83%)

Seventh Grade (12 years)

1.81 113 (33.83%)

Tenth Grade (15 years)

3.19 64 (20.44%)

Perio Status

314 tenth grade (15 years old) children were examined

- Plaque - Calculus - Bleeding on prbing

Perio Status

Perio Status

Conclusion

Caries experience as well as periodontal diseases seem to be prevalent in Georgia

Assessment of potential associations with independent variables (diet, fluoride, oral hygiene, socio-economic status, dental treatment, etc.) are warranted

It is planned to start education and prevention programs in order to improve the oral health status of Georgian children.

Georgian Stomatological Association

Working in direction of preventive dentistry

GSA annual dental congress since 2005FDI continuing education program dental

conference “Dental Tbilisoba” since 2007

Thank you