The Dubai Health Authority’s dental services have witnessed an increase in the number of patients, said a top health official.
 
Dr Hamda Al Mesmar, Acting Director of Dental services, primary healthcare sector, at the Dubai Health Authority, said: “As compared to last year we have witnessed a 13 per cent increase in the number of patients requiring general dental services and 15 per cent increase in the number of patients visiting hygienists.”
 
Mesmar attributed the increase to the fact that since January 2015, patients do not require to book an appointment for the general dentistry services and hygienist services across all 13 DHA primary healthcare centres. “The move is aimed to encourage people to regularly visit a hygienist and dentist so that they can avoid problems such as tooth decay and gingivitis, which are the two main dental problems we see in patients.”
 
Mesmar also recently felicitated all 180 dentists, hygienists and dental assistants and provided them with certificates at a ceremony that was held at Dusit Thani, Dubai.
 
Employees that have served the DHA dental services department for 20 years or longer were appreciated and thanked for their contribution to the health sector in Dubai.
 
The ceremony took place in presence of senior DHA officials from the dental department including Dr Nadia Mohammed Saleh, Assistant Director of Dental Services and Dr Khalid Farghali, Head of General Dentistry Section at the DHA.​