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Doha: Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC)’s ‘Asnani’ School Oral Health Program in Qatar stands as a national model for preventive and educational dental care, benefitting thousands of children.
Manager of the Oral Health Promotion and Prevention Department at the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), Dr. Najat Alyafei said that during the past academic year, the program successfully reached more than 31,000 students across 152 schools, including 55 kindergartens and 97 primary schools, through a comprehensive campaign of screening, education, and preventive treatment.
She explained that the results revealed both concerning and encouraging indicators, underscoring the importance of continued collaboration between schools, families, and health institutions.
Dr. Alyafei added that the screening results showed that tooth decay remains one of the most common health problems among children. Findings revealed that 68% of kindergarten children had caries in their baby teeth, while the percentage rose to 79% among primary school students. Additionally, 35% of primary students had decay in their permanent teeth, 62% of kindergarteners had untreated caries, and 29% of primary students had untreated decay in their permanent teeth.
She explained that the average number of decayed, missing, and filled teeth reflects the severity of caries per child, not just its presence. On average, each kindergarten child had about four baby teeth affected three untreated, one filled, and very few missing. Among primary school children, the average was less than one affected permanent tooth per child, which the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies as a low level of decay.
She highlighted that the program achieved significant preventive milestones: 26,529 students received topical fluoride applications, and more than 1,041 school staff members were trained under the “Oral Health Ambassadors” initiative.
