ABSTRACT
Resources for the provision of dental care are limited, despite the fact that dental-related problems accounted for 2.3% of all outpatient attendance in Ethiopia in 1984. In Uganda, Sudan, and other parts of Africa it is believed that the developing deciduous tooth germ is a parasitic worm and thus detrimental to the health of infants. Appropriate dental health education material needs to be produced to help health workers giving instructions to patients. Dental disease is prevalent in the Ethiopian population, and there is evidence that it is increasing. While dental problems are rarely life-threatening, they may cause debilitating pain and infection. There is a strong correlation between poor oral hygiene practices and both periodontal disease and dental decay; thus, good oral hygiene should be emphasized. In many instances medical doctors and nurses have been forced, due to lack of any alternative, to carry out extractions themselves, with varying degrees of success.
