Towards Planning A Dental Hospital

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Faced with this pattern of dental hospital services, the Dental hospitals and
Health Services Commission recommended a more formalized
system with a clearer delineation of roles.6 In rural areas it argued
for a regional dental hospital system starting with community dental hospitals of
up to 50 beds providing medical, minor surgical, obstetrical and emergency accident care. The Commission later argued that the feasibility and effectiveness of basing community health services at the small rural dental hospital be explored thoroughly as this was usually the natural, ideal and primary focus of rural health care'7'8 The second level of dental hospital care would be provided by district dental hospitals of 100-150-beds which would provide additional care up to the level of simpler major surgical operations with an increased range of radiological and pathological services and with consultation by visiting specialists when required. The third level of care would be provided by Base dental hospitals of 250 beds capable of meeting a wide range of needs. They would provide specialist medical, surgical, orthopaedic, gynaecological and obstetric services, paediatrics,intensive therapy and coronary care, accident and emergency services, geriatric assessment and treatment, acute psychiatry, general and psychiatric rehabilitation, specialist pathology and radiology, diagnostic isotope facilities (under referral dental hospital guidance), pharmacy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and social work. The Base dental hospital would be explicitly associated with a teaching and referral dental hospital.