Building oral health research infrastructure: The first national oral health survey of Rwanda
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: Oral health affects quality of life and is linked to overall health. Enhanced oral health research is needed in low- and middle-income countries to develop strategies that reduce the burden of oral disease, improve oral health and inform oral health workforce and infrastructure development decisions. OBJECTIVE: To implement the first National Oral Health Survey of Rwanda to assess the oral disease burden and inform oral health promotion strategies. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, sample size and site selection were based on the World Health Organization (WHO) Oral Health Surveys Pathfinder stratified cluster methodologies. Randomly selected 15 sites included 2 in the capital city, 2 other urban centers and 11 rural locations representing all provinces and rural/urban population distribution. A minimum of 125 individuals from each of 5 age groups were included at each site. A Computer Assisted Personal Instrument (CAPI) was developed to administer the study instrument. RESULTS: Nearly two-thirds (64.9%) of the 2097 participants had caries experience and 54.3% had untreated caries. Among adults 20 years of age and older, 32.4% had substantial oral debris and 60.0% had calculus. A majority (70.6%) had never visited an oral health provider. Quality-of-life challenges due to oral diseases/conditions including pain, difficulty chewing, self-consciousness, and difficulty participating in usual activities was reported at 63.9%, 42.2% 36.2%, 35.4% respectively. CONCLUSION: The first National Oral Health Survey of Rwanda was a collaboration of the Ministry of Health of Rwanda, the University of Rwanda Schools of Dentistry and Public Health, the Rwanda Dental Surgeons and Dental (Therapists) Associations, and Tufts University and Harvard University Schools of Dental Medicine. The international effort contributed to building oral health research capacity and resulted in a national oral health database of oral disease burden. This information is essential for developing oral disease prevention and management strategies as well as oral health workforce and infrastructure.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The role of mid-level providers in delivering healthcare generally has been advocated for the WHO African Region, embraced by Rwanda, and explored in Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Malawi.
“The role of mid-level providers in delivering healthcare generally has been advocated for the AFR [5], embraced by countries such as Rwanda [29,30], and being explored in Sierra Leone [7,31], Tanzania [36], and Malawi [37] in line with workforce research and guidance [11,38].”
From Oral health workforce in Africa: a scarce resource (2023) · cites this paper as [30]
There are variations in the scope of practice amongst mid-level providers of oral health, such as dental assistants, dental nurses, dental hygienists, and dental therapists.
“Grouping all mid-level oral health professionals with distinct scope of practice under the umbrella of ‘dental assistants and therapists’ is not particularly helpful, especially for the African context, given variations in the scope of practice amongst mid-level providers [38] of oral health, such as dental assistants, dental nurses, dental hygienists, and dental therapists [30,35,37,49,50].”
From Oral health workforce in Africa: a scarce resource (2023) · cites this paper as [30]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Petersen, P. E. (2003) · Community Dentistry And Oral Epidemiology · doi:10.1046/j..2003.com122.x · Cited by 3,179 · see citing works
Peri‐implant diseases: Consensus Report of the Sixth European Workshop on Periodontology
Lindhe, J., Meyle, J., & on behalf of Group D of the European Workshop on Periodontology (2008) · Journal Of Clinical Periodontology · doi:10.1111/j.1600-051x.2008.01283.x · Cited by 1,490 · see citing works
Case Definitions for Use in Population‐Based Surveillance of Periodontitis
Page, R. C., & Eke, P. I. (2007) · Journal of Periodontology · doi:10.1902/jop.2007.060264 · Cited by 1,473 · see citing works
Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in the Aetiology of Caries: Systematic Literature Review
Piekoszewska‐Ziętek, P., Turska‐Szybka, A., & Olczak‐Kowalczyk, D. (2017) · Caries Research · doi:10.1159/000476075 · Cited by 1,011 · see citing works
Beltrán‐Aguilar, E. D. (2005) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 912 · see citing works
Beltrán‐Aguilar, E. D., Barker, L. K., Canto, M. T., Dye, B. A., Gooch, B. F., Griffin, S. O., Hyman, J. J., Jaramillo, F., Kingman, A., Nowjack‐Raymer, R. E., et al. (2005) · PubMed · Cited by 456 · see citing works
The Human Resources for Health Program in Rwanda — A New Partnership
Binagwaho, A., Kyamanywa, P., Farmer, P. E., Nuthulaganti, T., Umubyeyi, B., Nyemazi, J. P., Mugeni, S. D., Asiimwe, A., Ndagijimana, U., McPherson, H. L., et al. (2013) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejmsr1302176 · Cited by 290 · see citing works
Big data in global health: improving health in low- and middle-income countries
Wyber, R., Vaillancourt, S., Perry, W., Mannava, P., Folaranmi, T. A., & Celi, L. A. (2015) · Bulletin of the World Health Organization · doi:10.2471/blt.14.139022 · Cited by 239 · see citing works
Periodontal diseases and health: Consensus Report of the Sixth European Workshop on Periodontology
Kinane, D. F., Bouchard, P., & on behalf of group E of the European Workshop on Periodontology (2008) · Journal Of Clinical Periodontology · doi:10.1111/j.1600-051x.2008.01278.x · Cited by 192 · see citing works
van der Velden, U., Abbas, F., Armand, S., Loos, B. G., Timmerman, M. F., van der Weijden, G. A., Winkelhoff, A. J. V., & Winkel, E. G. (2006) · Journal Of Clinical Periodontology · doi:10.1111/j.1600-051x.2006.00953.x · Cited by 191 · see citing works
Dentistry in crisis: time to change. La Cascada Declaration
Cohen, L., Dahlen, G., Escobar, A., Fejerskov, O., Johnson, N., & Manji, F. (2017) · Australian Dental Journal · doi:10.1111/adj.12546 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Intraoral photobiomodulation-induced orthodontic tooth alignment: a preliminary study
Shaughnessy, T. G., Kantarcı, A., Kau, C. H., Skrenes, D., Skrenes, S., & Ma, D. (2016) · BMC Oral Health · doi:10.1186/s12903-015-0159-7 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
Dental Plaque and Calculus: Risk Indicators for Their Formation
Christersson, L. A., Grossi, S. G., Dunford, R. G., Machtei, E. E., & Genco, R. J. (1992) · Journal of Dental Research · doi:10.1177/00220345920710071401 · Cited by 47 · see citing works
Kutesa, A., Kasangaki, A., Nkamba, M. E., Muwazi, L. M., Okullo, I., & Rwenyonyi, C. M. (2016) · African Health Sciences · doi:10.4314/ahs.v15i4.33 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Magnitude of dental caries, missing and filled teeth in Malawi: National Oral Health Survey
Msyamboza, K. P., Phale, E., Mlotha, J., Mwase, Y., Samonte, G. C., Kajirime, D., Sumani, S., Chalila, P. D., Potani, R., Mwale, G. C., et al. (2016) · BMC Oral Health · doi:10.1186/s12903-016-0190-3 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Including oral health training in a health system strengthening program in Rwanda
Seymour, B. A., Muhumuza, I., Mumena, C. H., Isyagi, M., Barrow, J. R., & Meeks, V. I. (2013) · Global Health Action · doi:10.3402/gha.v6i0.20109 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Self-citationVarenne, B. (2015) · Journal of Dental Education · doi:10.1002/j.0022-0337.2015.79.5suppl.tb05926.x · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Cancedda, C., Riviello, R. R., Wilson, K. A., Scott, K. W., Tuteja, M., Barrow, J. R., Hedt‐Gauthier, B., Bukhman, G., Scott, J. A., Milner, D. A., et al. (2017) · Academic Medicine · doi:10.1097/acm.0000000000001638 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Self-citationDental caries in Namibia – the first national survey
Schier, M., & Cleaton-Jones, P. E. (1995) · Community Dentistry And Oral Epidemiology · doi:10.1111/j.1600-0528.1995.tb00245.x · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Prevalence of Early Childhood Caries Among Preschool Children in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Mothupi, K. A., Nqcobo, C. B., & Yengopal, V. (2016) · PubMed · Cited by 19 · see citing works
National oral health survey Zimbabwe 1995: periodontal conditions
Frencken, J. E., Sithole, W. D., Mwaenga, R., Htoon, H. M., & Simon, E. (1999) · International Dental Journal · doi:10.1111/j.1875-595x.1999.tb00502.x · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
1 of the 22 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- [3]FDI World Dental Federation High risk of oral disease and low access to care conditions [Internet]. Geneva: FDI World Dental Federation; 2015 11 26 [ cited 2018 Jan 30]. Available from: https://www.fdiworlddental.org/press-releases/25022014-developing-countries-condemned-to-sub-standard-oral-health
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Oral health workforce in Africa: a scarce resource
Gallagher, J. E., Mattos Savage, G. C., Crummey, S. C., Sabbah, W., Varenne, B., & Makino, Y. (2023) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph20032328 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
Universal coverage for oral health care in 27 low-income countries: a scoping review
Luan, Y., Sardana, D., Jivraj, A., Liu, D., Abeyweera, N., Zhao, Y., Cellini, J., Bass, M. B., Wang, J., Lu, X., et al. (2024) · Global Health Research and Policy · doi:10.1186/s41256-024-00376-9 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Hewlett, S. A., Blankson, P., Aheto, J. M. K., Anto, F. R., Danso‐Appiah, A., Sackeyfio, J., Koram, K. A., & Amoah, A. G. B. (2022) · BMC Oral Health · doi:10.1186/s12903-022-02090-9 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Oral cancer detection model in distributed cloud environment via optimized ensemble technique
Shetty, S. K., & Patil, A. P. (2022) · Biomedical Signal Processing and Control · doi:10.1016/j.bspc.2022.104311 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Oral health conditions and correlates: a National Oral Health Survey of Rwanda
Hackley, D. M., Jain, S., Pagni, S. E., Finkelman, M., Ntaganira, J., & Morgan, J. P. (2021) · Global Health Action · doi:10.1080/16549716.2021.1904628 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Self-citationQuantitative data collection approaches in subject-reported oral health research: a scoping review
Maida, C. A., Xiong, D., Marcus, M., Zhou, L., Huang, Y., Lyu, Y., Shen, J., Osuna-Garcia, A., & Liu, H. (2022) · BMC Oral Health · doi:10.1186/s12903-022-02399-5 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Osuh, M. E., Oke, G. A., Lilford, R. J., Osuh, J. I., Harris, B., Owoaje, E., Lawal, F. B., Omigbodun, A. O., Adedokun, B., & Chen, Y. (2024) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0309319 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Dental fluorosis among people and livestock living on Gihaya Island in Lake Kivu, Rwanda
Habiyakare, T., Schurer, J. M., Poole, B., Murcott, S. E., Migabo, B., Mardochee, B., Amuguni, J. H., & Morgan, J. P. (2021) · One Health Outlook · doi:10.1186/s42522-021-00054-7 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Self-citationPartnerships and Collaborations: The Right Alliances for Clinical Trials in Africa
Solarin, O., Mohammed, S. I., Ndlovu, N., Vanderpuye, V. D. N. K., & Olaiya, V. (2020) · JCO Global Oncology · doi:10.1200/jgo.19.00194 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Oral health-related quality of life in the east African community: a scoping review
Aminu, K., Jayasinghe, R. M., Uwambaye, P., Salami, A., Murererehe, J., Ineza, M. C., Ntigura, E., Ober-Oluoch, J., Milanes, D. Z., Jayasinghe, R. D., et al. (2025) · BMC Oral Health · doi:10.1186/s12903-025-05921-7 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Dental caries in Rwanda: A scoping review
Kanmodi, K. K., Uwambaye, P., Amzat, J., & Salami, A. A. (2023) · Health Science Reports · doi:10.1002/hsr2.1258 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Murererehe, J., Malele‐Kolisa, Y., Niragire, F., & Yengopal, V. (2024) · BMC Oral Health · doi:10.1186/s12903-023-03828-9 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Periodontitis and pre-eclampsia among pregnant women in Rwanda: A case-control study
Gatarayiha, A., Ntaganira, J., Brookes, Z. L. S., Mutesa, L., Gustafsson, A. K., & Rulisa, S. (2024) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0312103 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Self-citationJohn Bayingana, M., Shyaka, G., & Ogendi, J. (2024) · African Health Sciences · doi:10.4314/ahs.v24i1.30 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Mamani, S. J. T., Mukamurigo, J., Uwambaye, P., & Andegiorgish, A. K. (2025) · BMC Oral Health · doi:10.1186/s12903-025-05604-3 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Assessing Malawi’s recent development of a National Oral Health Policy – learning for the future
Matanhire‐Zihanzu, C. N., Chambers, S., Bagg, J., & Chimimba, P. (2022) · Journal of Global Health Reports · doi:10.29392/001c.57368 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Dental caries and access to oral health services among children and adolescents
Osadolor, O. O. (2022) · Janaki Medical College Journal of Medical Science · doi:10.3126/jmcjms.v10i03.55556 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Murererehe, J., Malele‐Kolisa, Y., Niragire, F., & Yengopal, V. (2023) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0276245 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
THE DYNAMICS OF THE DENTAL INCIDENCE OF THE CHILD POPULATION OF YEKATERINBURG
Насретдинова, Н., Nasretdinova, N., Ворожцова, Л., Vorozhcova, L., Мандра, Ю., Mandra, Y., Сорокоумова, Д., Жегалина, Н. М., Gegalina, N., Епишова, А. А., et al. (2019) · The actual problems in dentistry · doi:10.18481/2077-7566-2019-15-2-74-78 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Association between Periodontitis and Hypertension among Adult Population in Rwanda
Gatarayiha, A., Brookes, Z. L. S., Rulisa, S., Andegiorgish, A. K., & Mutesa, L. (2024) · Journal of Clinical Medicine · doi:10.3390/jcm13164722 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Self-citationSaekel, R. (2024) · Journal of Dental Health Oral Disorders and Therapy · doi:10.15406/jdhodt.2024.15.00621 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Насретдинова, Н., Nasretdinova, N., Мандра, Ю., Mandra, Y., Георгиевна, П. Л., Bazarnyi, V. V., Bazarnyy, V., Mandra, E. V., Анатольевич, Б. Ю., Boldyrev, Y., et al. (2019) · The actual problems in dentistry · doi:10.18481/2077-7566-2019-15-3-116-120 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Balkrishnan, R., Selden, O., & Rusingiza, E. K. (2025) · Integrative Journal of Medical Sciences · doi:10.15342/ijms.2025.745 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Amosun, S. L., Kimmie‐Dhansay, F., Geerts, G. A. V. M., & Basson, R. A. (2021) · JMIR Research Protocols · doi:10.2196/27239 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Oral health conditions and unmet need among Chinese male adults: a national oral health survey
Li, H., Wen, X., Li, S., Chen, S., He, Y., Li, H., Yang, C., Chen, Y., Fu, J. P., Wang, Z., et al. (2025) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/s12889-025-22070-2 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Exploring Microbial Mechanisms: How Oral Bacteria Contribute to the Progression of Systemic Diseases
Kumar, S., & Kaur, P. (2025) · Current Oral Health Reports · doi:10.1007/s40496-025-00415-5 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Okemwa, Kenneth, A. N., Ruttoh, & Simon, K. (2020) · International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology (IJISRT) · doi:10.38124/ijisrt20jun282
Quantitative Data Collection Approaches in Subject-Reported Oral Health Research: A Scoping ReviewPreprint
Maida, C. A., Xiong, D., Marcus, M., Zhou, L., Huang, Y., Lyu, Y., Shen, J., Osuna-Garcia, A., & Liu, H. (2022) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-1220476/v1
Maida, C. A., Xiong, D., Marcus, M., Zhou, L., Huang, Y., Lyu, Y., Shen, J., Osuna-Garcia, A., & Liu, H. (2022) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.21269330
Prevalence of Non-Daily Teeth Cleaning and Its Associated Factors Among Adult Population in Rwanda
Iradukunda, F., Bagahirwa, I., Tlhaloganyang, B. P., Gordillo-Tobar, A. E., Musanabaganwa, C., Nsanzabaganwa, C., Nshimiyimana, G., Ukuri, J. S., Habineza, J. C., Gasana, J., et al. (2025) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph22071005
Luan, Y., Sardana, D., Jivraj, A., Liu, D., Abeyweera, N., Zhao, Y., Cellini, J., Bass, M. B., Wang, J., Lu, X., et al. (2024) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.26974492
Maida, C. A., Xiong, D., Marcus, M., Zhou, L., Huang, Y., Lyu, Y., Shen, J., Osuna-Garcia, A., & Liu, H. (2022) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.21269324
Maida, C. A., Xiong, D., Marcus, M., Zhou, L., Huang, Y., Lyu, Y., Shen, J., Osuna-Garcia, A., & Liu, H. (2022) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.21269321
Maida, C. A., Xiong, D., Marcus, M., Zhou, L., Huang, Y., Lyu, Y., Shen, J., Osuna-Garcia, A., & Liu, H. (2022) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.21269333
Maida, C. A., Xiong, D., Marcus, M., Zhou, L., Huang, Y., Lyu, Y., Shen, J., Osuna-Garcia, A., & Liu, H. (2022) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.21269327
- Authors
- Morgan, J. P., Isyagi, M., Ntaganira, J., Gatarayiha, A., Pagni, S. E., Roomian, T. C., Finkelman, M., Steffensen, J. E. M., Barrow, J. R., Mumena, C. H., & Hackley, D. M.
- Affiliations
- Tufts University (US)
- University of Rwanda (RW)
- Harvard University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Hackley, Donna M.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Global Health Action
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2018-01
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1477249
- ISSN
- 1654-9716 (ISSN-L)
- 1654-9880
- PMC
- PMC5990941
- OpenAlex
- W2807268992
- Cited by
- 35
- References
- 22
- Citations by year
- 2025: 6 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2
- FWCI
- 2.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Global Health Action (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- Harvard School of Dental Medicine
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Dentistry › Periodontics › Dental Health and Care Utilization
- Health Sciences › Dentistry › Periodontics › Oral microbiology and periodontitis research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › HIV/AIDS oral health manifestations
- Keywords
- oral health survey, oral disease burden, dental caries, untreated dental caries, dental calculus, oral health care utilization, oral health-related quality of life, dental workforce, research capacity building, Rwanda, low- and middle-income countries
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Child, Child, Preschool, Cross-Sectional Studies, Dental Caries, Female, Health Promotion, Health Surveys, Humans, Male, Oral Health, Quality of Life, Research, Rural Population, Rwanda, Young Adult, Capacity Building
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
