Mission Statement
The Dental Unit is committed to providing a subsidized dental care service of quality, delivered to the public in a professional manner, with emphasis on dental health education in an effort to decrease dental diseases in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Additionally treatment is provided to the institutionalized namely: Inmates of H.M. Prisons, the Mental Health Center, the Louis Punnett Home along with the main Hospitals nationwide.
Vision Statement
The people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will receive affordable restorative, surgical, prophylactic, oral health education and preventive services in a cost-effective manner based on effective and efficient management of the financial and human resources in a forever changing environment.
Goals/Objectives
- To promote oral health care among the general population.
- Provide restorative, preventative and curative care to children and adults attending oral health clinics.
- Apply pit and fissure sealants to first molars in 1% of the children 5 - 7 years.
- Provide topical fluoride treatment to patients receiving preventative care at dental clinics.
- Provide fluoride treatment to primary and pre-school students as part of School Dental Health programme.
- To increase dental awareness of the population through public education.
- Undertake Dental Health Week.
- Conduct educational sessions following specific guidelines in schools each month.
- Establish linkages with relevant sectors in the planning and implementation of programmes.
- Present oral health education programmes on radio.
- To strengthen oral health services in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
- Establish a preventative and corrective system of maintenance for dental equipment.
- Maintain an itinerary of visits to the Southern Grenadines by Dental Surgeons and Dental Nurses.
- To promote staff development within the Dental Unit.
- Conduct workshops on clinical standards in dental care to include all new staff on an ongoing basis.
- Participate in workshops both locally and overseas.
- Seek funding for training for Dental Nurses.
- Strengthen Management and Administration of the Dental Unit.
- Submit quarterly and annual reports on programme activities to the Ministry of Health.
- Maintain an inventory of Medical and Dental stocks.
- Prepare Corporate Plan.
Key Clients:
- Children under 17 years old.
- Adults who are over 60 years old.
- Persons over 17 years and less than 60 years.
- Patients from state owned institutions such as H.M. Prisons, Lewis Punnett Home, Mental and General Hospital.
- Shut-in patients.
- Patients from the Accident and Emergency Department of the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.
- Referrals from Consultants, Specialist, District Medical Officers and other Medical or Dental personnel.
