BY Grace Zigah
The Ghana Dental Association (GDA) has pledged to launch a nationwide crackdown on unlicensed dental practitioners operating illegally across the country.
This resolve was made during the Association’s 34th Annual General Congress held in Koforidua, Eastern Region, under the theme “Dental Quackery in Ghana: The Silent Epidemic, Awareness, Action and Accountability”.
According to the President of the Ghana Dental Association, Dr. Cecilia Kakrabah-Quarshie, dental quackery is a dangerous public health epidemic that is silently claiming the health and lives of unsuspecting Ghanaians.
She explained that the growing involvement of licensed dental professionals, technicians, and auxiliary staff in illegal practices threatens the integrity of the dental profession and erodes public trust in qualified practitioners.
Causes of Dental Quackery
Dr. Kakrabah-Quarshie partly blamed the menace on the severe shortage of dental professionals in the country.
Ghana currently has one dentist for every 58,400 citizens, a ratio far below acceptable standards.
This has left rural communities vulnerable to unregulated dental services.
The centralization of posting of the few dentists in the two major cities of Ghana – Accra and Kumasi – has also contributed to the problem.
Consequences of Dental Quackery
The consequences of dental quackery are serious and include pain, infections, long-term damage to teeth and gums, financial exploitation, and erosion of public trust in the dental profession.
Dr. Kakrabah-Quarshie emphasized the need for intensified public education on the dangers of seeking treatment from unqualified persons.
Call to Action
The Ghana Dental Association President called for support from government, corporate organizations, and development partners to address the issue.
She appealed for rural outreach programs, mobile dental units, public awareness campaigns, and the decentralization of dental infrastructure.
The Association is committed to increasing awareness and taking action to confront dental quackery.
Support from Ghana Health Service
A representative of the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Professor Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, admitted that the issue is compounded by the shortage of trained dentists and weak enforcement regimes.
He revealed that about 66% of Ghanaians have never visited a dentist, a gap exploited by quack practitioners.
The GHS has pledged to support policy implementation to increase access to quality dental care at the district level and above.
