Training and Competency Assessment of Community Oral Health Workers in Mobile Dental Outreach Programs: A Southern African Perspective

Abstract

Community oral health workers (COHWs) represent a critical human resource strategy for addressing oral health disparities in underserved populations across Southern Africa. This research examines the training frameworks, competency assessment methodologies, and operational effectiveness of COHWs deployed through mobile dental outreach programs in the Southern African region. Drawing upon evidence from implementation studies across South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia, this paper analyzes the pedagogical approaches, skill development protocols, and evaluation mechanisms employed in preparing community health workers for oral health promotion and basic preventive care delivery. The findings reveal significant heterogeneity in training duration, curriculum content, and competency benchmarks across different national contexts, ranging from brief orientation programs to structured multi-month certification courses. Despite resource constraints and infrastructural challenges characteristic of the region, mobile dental outreach initiatives utilizing trained COHWs have demonstrated measurable improvements in oral health literacy, preventive care uptake, and early disease detection within remote and marginalized communities. However, persistent challenges including inadequate supervision, limited continuing education opportunities, and unclear scope of practice definitions continue to constrain the optimal utilization of this workforce cadre. This paper synthesizes current evidence on training models and competency frameworks while proposing recommendations for standardizing COHW preparation programs to enhance the quality, safety, and sustainability of community-based oral health services in resource-limited settings.