Barriers to Accessing Dental Care in Low-Resource Settings: A Qualitative Study Across Five African Nations

Abstract

Oral health disparities remain a significant public health challenge across sub-Saharan Africa, where limited access to dental care services perpetuates preventable dental diseases and exacerbates health inequities. This qualitative study examines the multifaceted barriers to dental care access across five African nations—Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, and Uganda—through a comprehensive analysis of existing literature, policy documents, and epidemiological data. The research identifies systemic challenges including inadequate healthcare infrastructure, severe workforce shortages with ratios exceeding 1:150,000 in rural areas, prohibitive costs that consume up to 40% of monthly household income for a single dental visit, and deeply entrenched cultural beliefs that prioritize traditional healing practices over biomedical interventions. Geographic barriers compound these challenges, with rural populations traveling distances exceeding 50 kilometers to reach the nearest dental facility. The findings reveal that these barriers operate synergistically, creating a complex web of obstacles that disproportionately affect vulnerable populations including children, elderly individuals, and women. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on health equity in resource-constrained settings and provides evidence-based recommendations for policymakers, healthcare administrators, and international development organizations seeking to address oral health disparities in sub-Saharan Africa.