"This is a challenge on how professional organizations must work together with dental education (institutions) so that the production (of dentists) can meet the national needs because, in the end, it is for the quality of services to the community," she added here on Saturday.
Data from the Indonesian Medical Council (KKI) has pegged the number of dentists in Indonesia so far at more than 38 thousand. However, the number is still dominated by general dentists at around 34 thousand, while the number of dental specialists is only about four thousand.
According to PDGI data, the four thousand dental specialists can only meet the needs of six provinces, Tritarayati said.
Currently, one dental specialist serves more than 85 thousand patients, she pointed out. The distribution of dentists is also still far from ideal, considering that Indonesia has a wide geographical range and a large population, especially in remote, underdeveloped, border, and archipelagic regions.
According to her, there are many regions, especially remote, underdeveloped, border, and archipelagic regions, where primary health facilities still lack dentists.
"Forty percent of community health centers (puskesmas) do not have dentists," she noted.
Although the need for dentists in Indonesia is still high, she highlighted that the most important thing is not only to produce a large number of dentistry graduates but also to equip them with good competencies.
"In line with the rapid growth of dentists, it is necessary to improve the quality of science, knowledge, and skills of dentists in providing dental and oral health services professionally," she said.
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Translator: Rizka Khaerunnisa, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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