It is no hidden fact that the value of Dentists or Dental clinics in Dubai, has grown rapidly over the years. As a matter of fact, people in Dubai are now more concerned about keeping up a bright, healthy smile.
Oral care is a core service of human life. Not only do you need to keep your oral health in check, but the way you smile and how your teeth appears in the other person’s eyes, plays a vital impact on gaining good/ bad first impressions. And as they say: “First impression is the last impression.”
Dental Outlook in Dubai
Neglecting oral health may lead to serious issues like stomach ailments, mouth cancer, and severe gum infections that alters the course of life and daily human functioning. This is why Dentists all over the world, and especially, Dubai, want to emphasize on oral hygiene and health. This is, perhaps, why Dubai revamped regulations related to Dentistry , in late 2019.
The Healthcare City Authority of Dubai have now allowed qualified dentists from different international boards to start their practice in the Emirate, without the need to sit for a mandatory online exam, which presided before, in an attempt to attend to the increasing requirement for oral care, both globally, and in the region. These international examination boards include the likes of the Australian Dental Council, the Dental Council Examination, Ireland, the National Dental Examining Board of Canada, and the National Board Dental Examination. General Dentists from these boards will now be able to practice in Dubai, having met all other requirements, without appearing for a previously mandated obligatory online exam, making it much easier for qualified dentists to potentially practice Dentistry in Dubai, creating room for an increase in dental services in the city.
Consequently, Dubai’s government believes that this move will bolster the Dental Outlook in Dubai, and a forecasted increase of 156% is believed to be achieved by 2025, for Dental Services in Dubai.
According to Dr. Ramadan AlBooshi, a senior from Dubai City Healthcare Authority, having a healthy amount of qualified dentists within the Emirate, will foster much better attention to Dentistry and its related services will improve greatly, dealing better with emergencies, and offering more convenience to potential patients. “A general Practitioner is trained to deliver a range of services, procedures, and treatments, while a specialist covers a narrow field,” he added.
Approximately 5,000 Healthcare professionals are operating in Dubai, with only 7% or even lower, providing Dentistry services, creating a huge window of opportunity, and at the same time, a precautionary note for the city administration.
In an attempt to not only improve specific and tailored dental services in Dubai, AlBooshi expects general Dentistry services to take an upward route, with frequent routine oral checkups, in order to avoid oral health deterioration amongst the citizens of Dubai. This will, in turn, avoid the need for specialists all together, or significantly reduce it.
Why Dubai took Action to improve its Dental Outlook?
After the results of a general Healthcare survey, and its shocking results showed how important it was for the city’s Healthcare administration to take note and make corrective actions. Dubai’s Healthcare administration reported 85,000+ cases of gum-related diseases, amongst the citizens in the year 2017, and over 134,000 reported cases of tooth decay. This number remained to very worrisome for the next two years, but finally, after careful planning, Dubai decided to promote its Dental clinics in Dubai and Outlook to tackle the growing need for oral care, amongst the city’s residents.
Conclusion
Oral Healthcare is a grave issue, not only in Dubai, but around the world. The World Health Organization have stated that oral illnesses are one of the fastest and rapidly growing non-viral illnesses, globally. Having said that, Dubai’s move to revise its Dentistry guidelines followed route to the seriousness of the situation, welcoming qualified dentists from renowned international examination boards to expand their expertise in the Emirate.
However, it is important to know that the revised guidelines, even though relaxed, require some stringent checks, when it comes to dentist qualifications being in place and check. Also, it is necessary to meet the language and other regional requirements of the city.