Deepak Kumar Jha speaks with Amarinder singh on how to strengthen oral care infrastructure
What is the challenge?
There are compelling challenges given the rise of many incidences of oral and related problems and it is pertinent that all of us converge our efforts to scale up awareness and bring quality care for people. Oral care would soon become a top priority for country’s public health system. We must work on strengthening the infrastructure to support wide and uniform access to oral healthcare. Other than specialist practitioners, oral health is also intricately linked to a basic infrastructure. With less than 25 per cent of primary health centres having a dentist, I am of the view that the proposition of placing a dentist per 30,000 people is highly desirable to achieve the Government's medical care ambitions.
What can be done to strengthen oral care?
Coming back to India after spending three decades in US, I feel it is imperative to create a system where dental doctors are encouraged to necessarily serve in rural areas. One of the biggest challenges for dentistry is the lack of quality infrastructure and adequate training to dental graduates. Against a WHO recommended dentist to population ratio of 1:7500, our ratio is 1:10271. We are working in this direction. Our state-of-art clinics based on best global standards will go a long way in raising the benchmark in dentistry in India. The Government must also step up focus on this vital need.
What's been your vision?
With an aim to transform the erstwhile fragmented dentistry industry and bring quality care to people, we have invested $35 million and plans to invest another $25 million to realise its dream of becoming the most preferred neighborhood clinic and bring world-class dental and oral care to the doorsteps of citizens.
We have made remarkable progress in expanding our reach since its first clinic was opened in 2011, and serving over a million and half patients. We are glad to have achieved a milestone of 300 clinic which was launched at 19th Clove Dental Conclave in Delhi. This is yet another milestone for us and a step forward towards our commitment to bringing world-class oral care to people.
Does this mean more employment and other opportunities?
What's best along with expanding its network of clinic, the chain has also unleashed new opportunities for young dentists. We are proud that with about 800 dentists, we are also country’s largest employers of dental graduates. We also have a vision on auxiliary employment opportunities in this field.
We can create adequate pool of dental auxiliaries, including oral hygienists and dental lab technicians to ensure all-round service. Besides being at the forefront of providing employment opportunities for young dentists, we also aim to contribute to the Make in India story in area of oral health care products. Local manufacturers can create robust machinery and dental equipment.
What about health-related Corporate Social Responsibilities activities?
In a rare move aimed at taking quality dental care to the unserved and underserved areas, we have set up a multi-specialist charitable clinic in Delhi.
Inspired by ideals of former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam who had inaugurated the first Heritage Clinic of Clove Dental, we are determined to make quality oral care accessible and affordable for all strata of society. This clinic shall serve as a Centre of Excellence and will focus on communicating on the need and importance of dental care.
Singh is founder & CEO, Clove Dental Clinic