Introduction to Primary Oral Health Care

At the end of the course the students should be able to: 1. appreciate the concept of Primary oral health care; 2. describe the components of BPOC; 3. demonstrate the use of BPOC in the PHC system; and 4. design oral health education programmes for diverse populations.

Concept of Primary Oral Health Care. Oral health promotion. The integration of oral health care into the PHC. Importance of BPOC in PHC setting and group dynamics in Primary Oral Health Care. Roles of the dental therapist in the promotion of the primary health care setting. Referral of patients to the next management level for further management if necessary. Preventive and Control Measures: Know the general preventive and control measures of common dental diseases. Describe the various preventive and control measure of common dental diseases. Explain the preventive and control measures at the PHC level. Design an oral health education programme for the prevention and control of oral dental diseases in a community.