Gwangju City Council Environment and Welfare Committee Visits Regional Disabled Oral Care Center

Inspection of Facility and Staffing Status, and Operational Challenges

The Environment and Welfare Committee of Gwangju City Council visited the Gwangju-Jeonnam Regional Disabled Oral Care Center on the 11th to inspect the current status of oral care services provided to disabled individuals. Photo by Gwangju City Council

The Environment and Welfare Committee of the Gwangju City Council, chaired by Choi Jihyun, visited the Gwangju-Jeonnam Regional Disabled Oral Care Center on the 11th to inspect the current status of oral care services provided to disabled individuals.

The Gwangju-Jeonnam Regional Disabled Oral Care Center provides integrated oral health services for individuals with severe disabilities who have difficulty receiving dental treatment. In particular, the center has established a dedicated treatment system capable of providing sedation and general anesthesia, and more than 9,000 disabled individuals benefit from its services annually through the support of dedicated dental professionals, dental hygienists, and nurses.

During the site visit, discussions were held on a variety of issues, including the current status of facility operations, waiting times for treatment, challenges in securing specialized personnel, and operational difficulties. Opinions were also shared on the need for institutional improvements, such as establishing cooperative treatment systems with hospitals in other regions.

Chairperson Choi Jihyun stated, "Oral health for people with disabilities is a crucial aspect of welfare that is directly linked to quality of life," adding, "We will continue to focus on and make efforts at the council level so that the center can operate stably through institutional improvements aimed at strengthening the public dental care system."