Families in Western Kenya will no longer have to travel long distances in search of specialised paediatric dental care following the introduction of a new advanced service at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH).
The hospital has rolled out Full Mouth Restoration, a complex dental procedure that allows doctors to treat multiple oral conditions in a single session, particularly benefiting children who cannot manage routine dental care.
The service, now fully operational at the Kisumu-based referral facility, places JOOTRH among a limited number of specialized public hospitals in the country offering the intervention.
The procedure is also designed for children with special needs such as autism, Down syndrome and cerebral palsy, who often struggle with repeated dental visits.
“This is more than just a new service, it is a relief to both patients and the doctor since the pain of procedures on some patients is overwhelming,” said Dr. Anthony Ganda, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon at the facility.
The hospital, he said, has already successfully conducted its first full mouth restoration using in-house capacity, marking a major milestone in improving access to specialised dental care in the region.
The procedure was led by paediatric dentist Dr. Immaculate Opondo from Maseno University, working alongside JOOTRH’s dental and theatre teams.
In the operation, multiple dental conditions were treated under anesthesia in a single sitting replacing what would traditionally require up to eight separate hospital visits.
“This is what we call full mouth restoration because everything in the mouth is treated in a single session,” Dr. Opondo said.
Procedures carried out included dental fillings, extractions, pulpotomy, pulpectomy and oral prophylaxis, addressing all underlying issues at once.
According to Dr. Ganda, each session takes between three and six hours and is conducted in a controlled theatre environment to ensure patient safety and comfort.
“It would have taken almost eight appointments but we have done everything in one,” he said.
The breakthrough has been made possible through the acquisition of a portable dental unit, which has enabled the hospital to deliver comprehensive care internally without relying on external support.
A structured booking system has also been introduced, with procedures scheduled every Tuesday after patients undergo the necessary medical assessments.
The hospital is also engaging the Social Health Authority (SHA) to include the procedure in its coverage, a move that could ease the financial burden on families.
Similar procedures in private facilities cost between Sh100,000 and Sh200,000, placing them beyond the reach of many households.
Dr. Opondo warned that cases of childhood dental decay remain high, largely driven by sugary diets and poor oral hygiene, with many patients seeking care only after complications set in.
By Chris Mahandara
