The shortage of dentists in Nigeria has been described as a major challenge affecting access to quality dental care across the country.

Speaking at the commissioning of a new branch of Tooth mine Dental Clinic in the Lekki area of Lagos, the Lead Doctor and Chief Executive Officer of the organisation, Dr. Abraham Akinbami, called for increased investment in education to attract more students into the field of dentistry.

Dr. Akinbami, who revealed that the clinic had been meeting the dental needs of residents through its existing office in Gbagada, said his passion for the profession was ignited in his childhood.

He noted that the organisation is embracing digital technology to enhance service delivery, improve communication with partners. globally, and expand access to quality dental care.

“We are moving into telemedicine, although the equipment for that is not yet widely available. We organise outreach programmes to reach the masses where we offer preventive care and basic treatments. We restore, fill, or extract teeth where necessary.

This is the digital age, and social media has become a powerful tool for awareness,” he said. Dr. Akinbami added that affordability remains a concern in dental care, but that his organisation provides flexible and extended payment plans to enable more people to access treatment.

“Affordability is dicey, but we try to get as many people as possible covered. Many dentists engage in public health awareness. We also visit schools to educate children early so they can influence their parents’ dental habits. Even during my youth service, I used to go to schools to offer free dental care,” he explained.