The Ministry of Health, Bhutan, will be conducting a National Oral Health Survey, under the Foundation’s support.
Focus on disease prevention
In recent years the levels of oral disease in Bhutan have been increasing. This was evident from the results of a nationwide survey of 6- and 12-year-old children, conducted in 2014, which showed that 83.80% of six-year-old children had one or more decayed teeth and the prevalence of periodontal disease in both age groups was 58%. The Bhutanese authorities are concerned about the deterioration in oral health. In a resource-challenged country like Bhutan, the health sector’s primary focus has always been on disease prevention.
Plans for the survey
Bhutan’s National Oral Health Survey will be completed by mid-2022. Data is to be collected from all 20 districts of Bhutan across six age groups: 6-, 12-, 15-, 35-44, 55-64, and 65-74-year-olds. A stratified multi-stage randomized cluster sampling method has been applied. More than 12,000 subjects will be examined under the survey. The results will provide a sound basis for the review and development of oral health policies and strategies.