[Source: Dental Services]

The Health Ministry is re-hiring and re-employing dental hygienists who are retiring and those unvaccinated.

This was highlighted by the Minister Dr. Atonio Lalabalavu while answering the question that was posed in the Parliament on how the Ministry is working to resolve the critical shortage of dental hygienists in public hospitals.

He says that they are planning to establish a dental assistant post within the ministry where graduates will be in need of performing duties, roles, and responsibilities of dental assistants, which are currently undertaken by dental hygienists in public hospitals.

Dr Lalabalavu adds that one of the major factors contributing to the shortage of dental hygienists in hospitals was that many people were not interested in the dental hygienist program as they opted for dental courses to become full dentists.

Minister for Health and Medical Services, Dr. Atonio Lalabalavu

“So in 2018, the last batch of dental hygienists graduated from the Fiji National University, and the program ceased from continuing.”

Dr Lalabalavu says due to the shortage of dental hygienists in Fiji, the government in 2014 offered 20 scholarships, with 14 being enrolled at FNU and seven completing the course and graduating after two years.

The total establishment for dental hygienists is 80, as 27 posts are occupied, temporary vacant posts are 3, and vacant posts are 50.

Dentists are responsible for diagnosing and treating a wide range of dental conditions, including performing surgeries, while dental hygienists primarily focus on preventive care and patient education.