Lagos: A dentist, Dr. Olamilekan Fatokun, on Friday revealed that many individuals avoid dental facilities until their conditions worsen, attributing this trend to the high cost of treatment. Fatokun emphasized the significance of regular dental visits but acknowledged that opportunities for free dental care help individuals seek care before it becomes too late. He spoke in Lagos at the 10th edition of the Gbolahan Yishawu Foundation’s free dental outreach programme.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Fatokun stated, “Many people avoid seeing dentists until their conditions deteriorate due to the high cost of treatment. This initiative gives them access to the care they need before it becomes too late.” He encouraged residents to prioritize dental check-ups every six months, even in the absence of symptoms.
Another dentist, Dr. Banjo Oluwasegun, expressed concerns about the high blood pressure levels observed in many residents attending the event. “Our minimum blood pressure reading was 150, even a 15-year-old recorded 145, which is alarming. We need to intensify awareness on general health, not just dental hygiene,” he warned.
Oluwasegun also noted a positive shift in dental health awareness among residents, highlighting a move from heavy tooth extractions in previous editions to more preventive care like fillings and oral cleaning. “On the first day alone, we recorded over 50 denture fittings; people are becoming more proactive with their oral health, thanks to consistent outreach and education,” he added.
Gbolahan Yishawu, Founder of the NGO organizing the programme, stated that more than 12,000 constituents of Eti-Osa Constituency 02 had benefited from the foundation’s free dental outreaches. Yishawu, a lawmaker representing Eti-Osa Constituency at the Lagos State House of Assembly, emphasized the critical nature of each outreach edition, stressing the importance of providing relief to residents unable to afford quality dental care. “Every single edition is important to us. It gives us the opportunity to bring comfort and relief to our constituents. By the end of this year’s programme, we would have successfully carried out over 15,000 procedures since inception,” he stated.
Beneficiaries of the programme expressed gratitude and praised the initiative for bringing relief to many residents. Mrs. Ihedioha Pauline shared how she had asked her son to wait for the outreach instead of incurring a hefty hospital bill for a toothache. “I could not afford the hospital fee, but thanks to this programme, my son is now fine, and I also came for my own dental issue,” she said.
Mr. Adesola Ekemode commended the lawmaker’s dedication, stating, “My entire family has benefited from his programmes over the years; I pray he continues in office to complete more of his projects. This initiative touches both young and old.”
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the programme offered a wide range of dental treatments, including extractions, fillings, scaling and polishing, surgical procedures, root canal therapy, and dentures. It also provided referrals for complex procedures that could not be handled on-site, with patients receiving treatment at no cost, as all bills were covered by the initiative.