Reimagining oral health professionalism in Africa: a narrative from the margins - Takeaways - DentalSpire

Reimagining oral health professionalism in Africa: a narrative from the margins

  • By

  • Moréniké Oluwátóyìn Foláyan

  • Opeyemi Oyewunmi Ekundayo

  • Nceba Gqaleni

  • May 22, 2026

  • 0 min

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  • 1

    The Western model of oral health professionalism in Africa emphasizes clinical detachment, neglecting indigenous knowledge and community perspectives.

  • 2

    Yorùbá communities view oral health as integral to spiritual personhood, linking dental care to broader concepts of dignity and self-care.

  • 3

    Colonial health systems in Africa perpetuate an epistemic hierarchy that marginalizes indigenous knowledge and prioritizes curative over preventive care.

  • 4

    An Ubuntu-informed framework promotes mutual vulnerability and ecological professional identity, fostering accountability to marginalized communities.

  • 5

    Transforming dental education in Africa requires a shift towards relational approaches that integrate community knowledge and prioritize holistic care.

Original Source(s)

Reimagining oral health professionalism in Africa: a narrative from the margins

  • by Moréniké Oluwátóyìn Foláyan, Opeyemi Oyewunmi Ekundayo, Nceba Gqaleni

  • May 22, 2026

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