Every October 3, the Day of Latin American Dentistry is celebrated, in memory of the creation of the Latin American Dental Federation (FOLA), on October 3, 1917. In Cuba, Dr. Antonio Recasens Garrido, orthodontist, pediatric dentist, health practitioner and President of the Cuban Dental Society, named after the Library of the Faculty of Stomatology of Havana, was the main promoter of this idea and thus on October 3, 1929, he institutionalized this commemoration in our country.
On the Island the model of care is that of Comprehensive General Stomatology, which guarantees free coverage to 100% of the population through which promotion, prevention, cure and rehabilitation actions are carried out, prioritizing the population under 19 years old, pregnant women and mothers of children under one year of age, disabled as well as older adults.
These actions are integrated into a National Program for Comprehensive Stomatological Attention to the Population, which are provided with full coverage in a network of services by specialized stomatologists.
Today we have 19 825 professionals including Basic General stomatologists and specialists, of the latter with a total of 15 881. In addition 10 513 graduates and technicians in Stomatological Care and Prosthetics.
The National Health System has a supply of 5 412 fixed dental sets and 490 mobile or simplified dental sets.
For the training of students in the career of Stomatology, there are teaching assistance scenarios in the 15 universities of Medical Sciences and the University Branch of the Isla de la Juventud Special Municipality.
Health promotion and disease prevention actions are aimed at achieving an increase in the oral health status of the population and are carried out in the Oral Health Departments in the country’s healthcare and educational institutions and in other settings in the community itself.
Cuba is the only country that manages to provide totally free dental coverage and care to its population since January 1, 1959, today being the smile of our youth and children, conquest of the Cuban Revolution.
There are many efforts made by our Revolution to achieve the sustainability of health services for our people, at a time when the United States government intensifies the blockade in its genocidal attempt to surrender due to hunger and disease, which has had a significant impact Regarding stomatological services, despite this effort, in 2019 32,500,000 stomatological consultations and 86,782 maxillofacial surgeries were performed.
During this year, faced with the scourge of the current pandemic caused by COVID-19, we have been actively present in the various actions of confrontation both at the community level and in isolation centers, all of which reflects the dedication and the commitment of professionals, technologists, students and dental workers, devoted to improving the health of our people and sister nations, upholding the principles of solidarity, humanism and internationalism that distinguish us as worthy Cubans, reasons for which they deserve recognition and tribute on this day.
(Taken from the Minsap)