African Dentistry Journal | 21 September 2012
Quality Dental Care in Rural Ghana: An Action Research Study on Primary Healthcare Clinics
B, o, a, h, e, n, e, E, f, f, i, o, n, g, ,, A, m, a, r, t, e, y, K, w, a, m, e, n, a, ,, K, w, e, s, i, A, f, a, r, i, ,, Y, a, k, u, b, u, A, m, o, f, a
Abstract
Rural primary healthcare clinics in northern Ghana often lack adequate dental care services, leading to poor oral health outcomes among local populations. A mixed-methods approach combining qualitative interviews with quantitative surveys was employed to assess clinic practices, staff training needs, and patient feedback. Data were analysed using thematic analysis for qualitative data and descriptive statistics for quantitative results. Patient satisfaction scores improved by 20% following the implementation of evidence-based treatment protocols, while 65% of patients reported reduced dental treatment costs as a result of streamlined service delivery. The study demonstrated that targeted interventions can significantly enhance the quality and accessibility of dental care in rural settings. Future research should explore scalability and sustainability of these improvements. Primary healthcare clinics should prioritise continuous professional development for dental staff, integrate cost-saving measures into their operations, and engage with community health organizations to promote oral hygiene education. Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p<em>i)=\beta</em>0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.