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Aims and Objectives:The aim of the study was to determine the knowledge and practices of dental and oral hygiene (OH) students related to the transmission and prevention of the hepatitis B virus (HBV).Methods:A cross-sectional analytical design was used and all dental and OH students registered at a university in Pretoria in 2017 were asked to participate. Students were classified as either clinical (senior students who were treating patients) or nonclinical (junior students who had not yet started treating patients) depending on their year of study. A pretested, self-administered questionnaire consisting of 16 closed-ended and 4 open-ended questions relating to the students’ knowledge and practice concerning HBV infection was used. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23. All data were confidential and anonymity was ensured.Results:A total of 292 (78%) students agreed to participate, and of these, 70% were female. The average age was 21.78 years (±2.7) and almost two-thirds (61%) were classified as clinical students. A significant number of nonclinical students reported that the HBV could be transmitted through saliva (P < 0.01), through shaking hands (P < 0.01) and from sharing a toothbrush (P = 0.02) with an infected person. Clinical students correctly reported that HBV could be spread during the birth process from mother to child (P = 0.03). A significant number of nonclinical students stated that they would use antibiotics to prevent the spread of HBV infection (P < 0.01). The majority of respondents (94%) stated that vaccinations should be taken to prevent infection with HBV and >90% of students reported having completed the vaccination schedule.Conclusion:Although both the knowledge on the virus and the modes of transmission were very good, more than half did not know that HBV infection can be transmitted through piercing and more than half of the nonclinical students wrongly reported that antibiotics can be used to prevent infection after exposure. The vast majority were vaccinated against HBV.

The South African National Department of Health (NDoH) released a report in March 2020: “2030 Human Resources for Health (HRH) Strategy: Investing in the Health Workforce for Universal Health Coverage”. This report, has implications for the training of dental personnel and the planning of dental services in South Africa(SA). The aim was to summarise and critique the HRH strategic document with reference to dentistry. This was an independent review of the report and included recommendations and implications for the training of dental personnel in SA. The report employed two models to predict the number of dental personnel that will be required; one on achieving provincial equity and the other on improving access to Primary Heath Care (PHC) facilities. The calculations were based on dental personnel employed in the public sector and the number of uninsured people in SA. The first model predicted a shortfall of 486 dentists, 60 specialists, 13 Dental Technicians (Dent Tech), 162 Dental Therapists (DTs) and 104 Oral Hygienists (OHs). The second model, based on PHC utilization, predicted a surplus of 341 dentists and a shortage of 1128 OHs and 1164 DTs. In order to meet these shortages, NDoH would have to allocate R840 million or 2.3 Billion rands respectively, depending on which model is chosen. Irrespective of the model utilised, the NDoH needs to create and fill more dental posts, especially in provinces with low dental practitioner to population ratios. Dental training institutions need to align the training of dental graduates to meet the demands as set out in the report.

Advocacy for oral health promotion, prevention and treatment of oral diseases is founded on a comprehensive oral health policy that is integrated into the South African National Health Policy. The policy is intended to be a roadmap in the pursuit of achieving optimum oral health for the South African population. To review the National Oral Health Policy of SA (NOHPSA) in terms of context, strengths, weaknesses, implementation and monitoring regarding the oral health status of the SouthAfrican population.Results Promotive and preventive services lack detail on activities to achieve goals. The objectives, although very well defined, cannot be measured and there is no way of knowing whether they have been achieved. It was evident that the policy needs to be reviewed and updated in accordance to recent survey data, population growth and the profile (number and types) of health service providers. The prospect of updating the policy relies on the availability of current epidemiological surveys, which are not available, the most recent survey was conducted in 2002. The policy lacks a monitoring and evaluation plan. This is critical not only for the assessment of actualisation of aims and objectives, but for the sustainability of intended interventions.

A BSTRACT Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the types and trends of dental services offered over 3 months (April, May, and June) every year from 2017 till 2019 at all full-time primary oral health care facilities (POHCFs) in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Materials and Methods: This was a record-based retrospective study. Data were collected from April, May, and June in 2017, 2018, and 2019, from all full-time POHCFs in Gauteng. The data were obtained from the attendance registers at each facility and included the number of patients and personnel and the type and number of procedures performed. Results: A total of 90 POHCFs were included. The number of clinicians remained stable, whereas the mean number of patients per month increased from 587 (2017) to 654 (2019). This resulted in an increase in the mean monthly patient-to-clinician ratio from 376 (2017) to 428 (2019). On average, 459 extractions, 64 restorations, and 43 fissure sealants were performed monthly per district. Clinicians treated on average 19 patients per day and on average 15 extractions for every restoration. The mean operator-to-dental assistant ratio was 1.3:1. Conclusion: Although there were differences in the types of services rendered and the workloads of clinicians across the province, a significant increase was observed in the number of patients over the study period. The most common services rendered were extractions and the extraction-to-restoration ratio was fairly high. Managers need to carry out regular audits to ensure that the facilities are operating optimally.