The road to modern healthcare in Bhutan began in 1961 with two hospitals, two doctors, and two nurses coinciding with the first five year plan. Since then, Bhutan has witnessed significant progress in the health and wellbeing of the citizens. As the country progressed, both in terms of economy and social markers, there has been a shift in the disease trend and medications too.
However, a major challenge faced by the Ministry of Health (MoH) is the shortage of human resources, especially medical doctors. The case is similar in the field of orthodontics, with over 3,000 patients waiting for treatment. According to an Orthodontist, Dr.
Choki, this overwhelming backlog has surfaced due to a combination of factors, including a critical shortage of orthodontists and the inherently prolonged nature of orthodontic treatments. Dr. Choki shared that for the orthodontic treatment, they need orthodontists and dentists cannot do it.
“We simply do not have enough orthodontists. While general dentists play a crucial role in oral health, orthodontic treatment demands specific expertise that only trained orthodontists can provide,” she explained. Currently, there are only four serving orthodontists in the country making it high patient-to-orthodontists ratio.
On the other hand, Dr. Choki shared that the backlog in the orthodontic treatment is also due to the prolonged nature of treatment. “Treatments typically take two to three years for each patient and it is normal in every country un.