National Oral Health Programme (NOHP) – Oral Healthcare Services in India National Oral Health Programme (NOHP) – Oral Healthcare Services in India National Oral Health Programme (NOHP) – Oral Healthcare Services in India
The National Oral Health Programme (NOHP) aims to improve oral health by strengthening public healthcare facilities and providing accessible, affordable, preventive, promotive and curative dental care services, especially in underserved areas. The National Oral Health Programme (NOHP) aims to improve oral health by strengthening public healthcare facilities and...
योजना विवरण
National Oral Health Programme (NOHP)
The National Oral Health Programme (NOHP) is a Government of India initiative focused on improving the oral health of people across different age groups. The programme strengthens oral healthcare services through existing public health facilities and promotes accessible, affordable and quality dental care.
Objective of National Oral Health Programme
The main objective of NOHP is to reduce the burden of oral diseases and improve access to comprehensive oral healthcare. The programme focuses on promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative oral health services.
- Improve access to oral healthcare services.
- Strengthen dental care facilities in the public healthcare system.
- Promote awareness about oral hygiene and prevention of dental diseases.
- Support early detection and treatment of common oral diseases.
- Improve the availability of trained oral healthcare professionals.
- Strengthen oral healthcare infrastructure and equipment.
Who Can Benefit from NOHP?
The programme is intended to improve oral healthcare access for the general population, with particular importance given to people living in rural, remote and underserved areas. Oral health services may be accessed through participating government health facilities where dental care units are available.
Services Under National Oral Health Programme
Depending on the level and availability of services at a public health facility, oral healthcare may include preventive, diagnostic and treatment-related dental services.
- Oral health examination and assessment.
- Prevention and management of common dental problems.
- Dental caries and gum disease management.
- Basic dental procedures and treatment.
- Oral health counselling and awareness.
- Referral of patients requiring advanced dental care.
- Community-level oral health promotion and preventive activities.
Strengthening of Public Dental Facilities
NOHP supports States and Union Territories in strengthening dental care units at public health facilities. Support may include dental human resources, equipment, consumables, training and information, education and communication activities.
Oral Health Awareness
An important part of the programme is creating awareness about regular dental check-ups, proper oral hygiene, prevention of dental diseases and timely treatment. Early attention to oral health problems can help reduce complications and the need for more extensive treatment.
How to Access Oral Health Services
- Visit a government health facility that provides dental services.
- Consult the available dental healthcare professional.
- Get an oral health examination and follow the recommended treatment.
- If advanced treatment is required, follow the referral provided by the health facility.
Important Points
- NOHP is primarily a public healthcare programme and is not a direct cash assistance scheme.
- Availability of specific dental services can vary between healthcare facilities.
- The programme emphasizes prevention, early detection, treatment and oral health awareness.
- Public dental facilities may be available at different levels of the healthcare system depending on state implementation.
Conclusion
The National Oral Health Programme (NOHP) plays an important role in strengthening public dental healthcare in India. By improving infrastructure, human resources, preventive services, treatment facilities and oral health awareness, the programme aims to make quality oral healthcare more accessible to the population.
