A dentist at work./HANDOUT
Just three years ago, Nairobi’s public dental system was stretched to its limits. A population of nearly Seven million was served by only 16 dentists, 11 Community Oral Health Officers, and a single dental technologist many of them nearing retirement.
Today, that picture has changed dramatically. Since 2022, Nairobi County has recruited 50 additional dental professionals in what is now regarded as the largest single investment in oral health workforce expansion in Kenya.
The move has significantly boosted service delivery across public health facilities, improving access and quality of care for thousands of residents.
Governor Sakaja Johnson says the transformation is part of a deliberate effort to reposition oral health as a core component of public healthcare.
“In the last three years, we have made deliberate investments to change that trajectory. For too long, dental care has been treated as a luxury. It is not. Oral health is dignity, prevention, and equity,” Sakaja said.
Major hospitals across the city have undergone substantial upgrades. Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital now hosts a fully equipped Dental and Maxillofacial Centre with eight functional units.
Mbagathi Hospital and Mutuini Hospital have also expanded their capacity, with 10 and four dental units respectively marking a significant leap from the previously limited services concentrated in only a handful of facilities.
In a further boost to specialized care, the county has established a new Mother and Child Dental Centre at Pumwani Maternity Hospital, targeting improved maternal and child oral health outcomes.
Beyond the major hospitals, the county has rolled out new dental units in underserved areas, including Mukuru (Njenga), Makadara, Babadogo, Bahati, Kayole II, Kahawa West, Mathare North, and Mwiki bringing essential services closer to communities that previously lacked access.
County Executive Committee Member for Health and Nutrition, Suzanne Silantoi, says the expansion is ongoing, with additional facilities under development in Lang’ata, Kibera South, Tassia Kwa Ndege, and Kasarani.
“This is not just about increasing numbers,It represents a deliberate shift toward community-centred, preventive, and accessible healthcare.” Silantoi noted.
Nairobi is setting a new benchmark for equitable, accessible, and people-centered healthcare in Kenya.