The Kenya Dental Association (KDA), in partnership with Mars Wrigley Kenya, Gemsmiles Foundation and other stakeholders, has joined the global community in commemorating World Oral Health Day, marked annually on March 20.
As part of this year’s celebrations, KDA and partners have successfully concluded a series of dental camps in Nairobi which saw over 7,000 Kenyans received free consultations and a range of essential dental services. The commemoration also featured a series of activities including a major oral health awareness walk organized to promote oral health as a key component of overall well-being.
KDA seized the opportunity to draw attention to barriers that continue to limit access to care for many Kenyans.
The association called for investment in equitable deployment of oral health professionals including dentists and community oral health officers to address gaps across counties and underserved communities. It highlighted the disproportionate distribution of dental professionals and facilities, particularly between urban and rural areas, which limits access for underserved populations.
In Kenya, the current dentist: population ratio is 1:37800, which is far below the World Health Organization recommendation of 1:7,000, making oral health inaccessible to a majority of the Kenyan population.
Further, it called upon policymakers, healthcare providers, partners, and the public to take collective responsibility in improving oral health outcomes by strengthening policies that support universal access to oral healthcare, expanding public and private insurance coverage, to adequately provide for essential dental services.
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Aligned with the global WOHD 2026 theme, “A Happy Mouth is… A Happy Life,” the drive spotlighted the lifelong importance of caring for the mouth, from early childhood through older age, while promoting prevention, early detection, and timely treatment of oral diseases.
“Oral health remains one of the most overlooked components of overall health, yet the burden of untreated dental disease is significant and often preventable,” said KDA President Dr. Kahura Mundia. “Beyond providing services and education as part of celebrating World Oral Health Day, we are also spotlighting systemic challenges that keep care out of reach for many families.”
KDA highlights several critical issues affecting individuals’ ability to access oral health services in Kenya, including the unattended cost of neglected dental conditions, coupled with limited insurance coverage by private and public schemes on oral health services, placing treatment out of reach for many citizens.
“Preventive oral care habits and regular check-ups are among the most effective ways to reduce the burden of oral disease,” said Victoria Macharia, Mars Wrigley Corporate Affairs Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa. “Through this collaboration with KDA and partners, we are supporting community-based interventions that create awareness, encourage early action, and expand access, especially for vulnerable and underserved populations.”
“Access to oral healthcare should not depend on where someone lives or what they can afford,” added Dr. Mundia. “By strengthening policy, improving insurance coverage, and deploying the right workforce where it’s needed most, we can significantly reduce preventable suffering and improve quality of life for millions of Kenyans.”
The Awareness Walk was flagged off from Ulinzi Stadium, rallying the public, oral health professionals, community partners, and advocates to champion oral hygiene and healthier lifestyles. The walk was complemented by a high-impact dental camp in Kibra, delivering free consultations and a wide range of services including screening, patient selection and treatment for simple fillings, root canal treatments, cleaning and fluoride application, and emergency treatment including extractions, emergency extirpations and dental trauma management.
This year’s support builds on Mars Wrigley’s previous oral health outreach efforts in Kenya, including previous community dental camps in Lamu, Narok, Makueni and Nairobi that provided free screenings, oral hygiene education, and basic treatment services. Through these engagements, Mars Wrigley seeks to support practical, community-driven solutions that promote preventive oral care.
