A dedicated and specialised paediatric and special needs dental unit has been opened in the Cape – the first in the country – thanks to the provincial government, the Department of Paediatric Dentistry of the University of the Western Cape (UWC), and the Rotary Club.
The aim is to reduce anxiety for young patients, and sharpen the focus on providing dedicated oral health services to children, particularly those with special health care needs, reports IOL.
President of the South African Association of Paediatric Dentistry and course co-ordinator for the Masters programme in Paediatric Dentistry at UWC, Dr Nicoline Potgieter, emphasised the enduring plight of South African children, who are in dire need of expert oral health care.
“Hopefully this is the first of many dedicated paediatric and special needs units across South Africa,” she said.
Bellville Rotary Club president Delene Swart said the unit – with the latest materials and state-of-the-art equipment – “will not only enhance service quality but also serve as an invaluable training ground for postgraduate students”.