Trends in treatment performed in the Phelophepa Dental Clinic: 1995-2000

Mobile clinics are a cost-effective method of meeting the dental needs of rural communities in South Africa. Phelophepa, the first primary health care train of its kind world-wide, provides eye care, education, medicine, basic health care and since June 1995 dental treatment to rural communities. All services are rendered by students under supervision of qualified staff. The aim of this study was to analyse and report the data for treatment performed in the dental clinic from June 1995 to May 2000. During its first five years of operation, dental services were provided at 183 towns in all provinces except Gauteng. Of the 42,073 patients treated during this time (an average of 229.9 per town), 67.4% were adults. 71.3% of the 103,283 procedures performed were extractions, 15.7% could be classified as preventive with the remaining 13% as restorative procedures. The average value of the service provided to each patient was R218.53. The exposure of dental, dental therapy and oral hygiene students to rural areas of South Africa serves the important purpose of sensitising students to the realities of oral diseases in these communities.