JOOTRH reduces pediatric dental wait times with the first in-house full-mouth restoration

KENYA — Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) has successfully completed its first full mouth restoration entirely through its in-house capacity, marking a major step forward in paediatric dental care and reducing the burden on families seeking specialized treatment.

The groundbreaking procedure was led by paediatric dentist Dr Immaculate Opondo from Maseno University in collaboration with JOOTRH’s dental and theatre teams.

 The achievement reflects the hospital’s growing ability to provide advanced oral healthcare services without referring patients to external facilities.

For many families, the new service offers a much-needed solution to repeated dental appointments, prolonged pain, and costly referrals.

Children who previously required several separate visits can now receive comprehensive treatment in a single session.

New equipment strengthens in-house capacity

A newly acquired portable dental unit has played a central role in enabling the service.

The equipment allows JOOTRH to deliver complex dental procedures entirely within the hospital, closing a long-standing gap in paediatric dental care.

Using the new setup, clinicians can treat multiple oral conditions during one theatre session under general anaesthesia.

During the hospital’s first full mouth restoration, the team completed fillings, extractions, pulpotomy, pulpectomy, and oral prophylaxis in a single sitting.

“This is what we call full mouth restoration because every dental issue is addressed during one procedure,” Dr Opondo explained.

The approach replaces what would traditionally require up to six separate appointments, significantly reducing physical and emotional stress for young patients and their caregivers.

Improving care for vulnerable children

According to Dr Anthony Ganda, JOOTRH’s Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, the service has now been fully established and is available through a structured booking system.

Each procedure takes between three and six hours, depending on the complexity of the case, and the hospital currently schedules operations weekly following comprehensive medical assessments.

The service particularly benefits children who cannot tolerate routine dental procedures, including those living with autism, cerebral palsy, and other special needs.

“It would have taken almost eight appointments to complete similar treatment through conventional care pathways, but we can now do everything in one session,” Dr Ganda said.

Making advanced dental care more affordable

JOOTRH is also working with the Social Health Authority (SHA) to improve affordability and expand access to the service.

Comparable full mouth restoration procedures in private facilities often cost between KSh 100,000 (US$775) and KSh 200,000 (US$1,550), placing them beyond the reach of many households.

Hospital officials say integrating the procedure into public healthcare financing could significantly reduce out-of-pocket costs for families.

Dr. Opondo also highlighted the need for stronger preventive oral health education, noting that high sugar consumption and poor oral hygiene continue to drive childhood dental decay across Kenya.

The procedure also served as a teaching opportunity, with Maseno University medical students observing the session as part of their dentistry rotation while JOOTRH’s multidisciplinary team coordinated anaesthesia, logistics, and surgical oversight throughout the operation.