School planned to fill dentist shortage
Stabroek News
March 22, 2004
Plans are in the works for the establishment of a dental school to fill a shortage of dentists both in the public and private sector, says Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy.
Speaking to Stabroek News on Friday, Ramsammy said that the Ministry of Health has been in negotiation with dental schools in Mexico and Canada and also with the health ministry in Mexico.
He explained that the negotiations stemmed from the fact that Guyana does not have the required personnel to start up all aspects of a dental school.
The minister said the ministry is asking for technical assistance to be provided free of cost. The plan is to upgrade the Cheddi Jagan Dental Centre into a complete dental school in collaboration with the University of Guyana. He explained that the pre-clinical tuition would be done at the university combined with the medical school, while the more specialised practical aspects will be covered at the centre.
Despite being in the US for the past two months recovering from heart surgery, Ramsammy said he had made a few calls to push the project forward.
While it was hoped that the school would have been opened by September, he said that might be too soon and early next year was more likely.
He noted that of the scholars now in Cuba only one was studying dentistry. "Even though the medics do a good job, we need more dentists."
Ramsammy does not see the venture as being expensive since the only thing that would be needed at the centre would be more chairs. After the initial technical assistance, the administration of the school would be undertaken by Guyanese.