DESCRIPTION OF DENTAL UNIT AT TEMEKE RRH

Dental unit deals with diagnosis, prevention, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, facial and jaws. It provides services to the outpatients and inpatients.

The head of the department is professional skills specialist Dr. Twisibilege Mwakasungula (Orthodontist), and currently there are 7(seven) services providers working with the Dental Unit. There are various dental cases attended according scope of professional and skills available. List of service providers available are: -

1. Orthodontist                          - 1

2 Dental Surgeon                       - 1

3. Assistant dental officer           - 1

4. Dental Therapist                     - 1

5. Laboratory technologist        - 3

6. Dental Nurse Attendant        - 1

The unit consists of 4 (four) firms that are based on several procedures and services included:

1. Oral surgery

2. Restorative

3. Orthodontic

4. Prothodontic (artificial teeth)

Main responsibility of dental service at Temeke Regional and Referral hospital is to provide a better treatment for patients and improving oral health. Therefore, there are four main functions of focus:

• Consultant advice and check up
• Treatment of outpatients
• Treatment of inpatients
• Planning and conducting oral health education for the patient attending Temeke regional referral hospital.

Usually the unit receives patient which have complicated case as referral from peripheral hospital and it also provide referral services for special and complicated cases (referral cases) to Muhimbili National Hospital for the maxillofacial to review.

Outpatient clinic is open from Monday to Friday except on public holidays while dental emergency cases are received and treated around the clock even including public holidays.

Dental department receive more than 10 patients per day and minimum of 200 patients per month.

Thus, service providers are available during working hours and also extra hours depending on the number of patients visiting dental care.