Dr. Akindele Bimbola Opeyemi is a Consultant Paediatric dentist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). A fellow of the Medical College in Dental Surgery, she has over 11 years of experience as a dentist. She is a member of the Nigerian Association of Paediatric Dentistry (NAPD) and a clinical researcher with publications, won award for her dedication to service and a recipient of the Christiansen professorship grant, University of Iowa, USA. In this interview, she shares her journey into dentistry, challenges women encounter on the job and other issues.
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What attracted you into the dental field?
As a child growing up in Lagos, I recall how I battled with oral habits (sucking my thumb) which eventually led to the disarrangement of my teeth. This made me shy and I kept to myself most times because I did not like the way my teeth looked. Despite my several pleas, my parents did not see any need to take me to a dentist. This birthed my dream of becoming a dentist. However, due to my passion for vulnerable and underserved populations, I decided to specialise in paediatric dentistry.
Can you mention some of people that inspired you in the dental field and why?
I had lecturers (Prof. Esan, Prof. Owotade, Prof. Ukpong etc) during my undergraduate training at Obafemi Awolowo University who were passionate and proud to be dentists. During my residency training at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, I was mentored by seasoned paediatric dentists (Prof. Orenuga. Prof. Oredugba, Dr Olatosi and Dr Ayedun) who are high achievers with global recognition. The thorough training I received has helped me greatly in my practice to deliver primary and comprehensive oral care for infants, children, and adolescents, including those with special health care needs.
What are the valuable life lessons you have learnt in the cause of your job as a Consultant Paediatric Dentist?
Being a paediatric dentist has helped me build my communication skills as I frequently engage in counselling sessions with care givers educating them on the oral health care needs of their wards. I have also learnt to be empathetic and very patient. A lot of patience is needed when treating children and individuals with special health care needs. I have also learnt to be really friendly so that the children can feel quite comfortable around me. As a paediatric dentist I often see how oral health care of children and the population with special needs from diverse social and geographical backgrounds is neglected as they most times present late with complications from preventable oral diseases and conditions. This has led me into promoting oral health beyond clinical settings through oral health awareness initiatives in schools, underserved communities and special needs institutions.
What are the challenges faced by women dentists in Nigeria and how can these be tackled?
The challenges faced by women dentists in Nigeria as far as I know are very similar to challenges faced by any woman in the professional space especially if that woman happens to be a wife and a mother. On the top of that list is work-life balance where most women do not actually find that balance and allow the home front suffer. When this is not properly managed, other challenges such as health issues and mental health issues could also arise. There is also the bias especially among the unlearned population that stereotypes a female doctor as ‘aunty nurse’ and feel the males would be better at carrying out dental procedures. I feel this is gradually fading away with more enlightenment. In my specialty we actually have more female paediatric dentists than males.
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How do you balance family, your dental career and other roles?
I don’t see my life as several fragments or in compartments rather I see it as a whole. My list of priority is very clear. (God first, then family before career). The fact that my career is at the bottom of that list has not made me underperform in my career in any way. I have an excellent support system in my husband. I have passed professional exams as at when due. I believe wisdom from God is very critical in this as every individual is unique and will be surrounded by different scenarios so what works for ‘A’ may not work for ‘B’. One needs to know specifically what can be outsourced based on your unique conditions. Know when to delegate appropriately, learn to rest properly and be deliberate about a healthy lifestyle. To be sincere I think I have enjoyed God’s grace in maintaining balance because I know that it is very easy to lose balance when one is not intentional about it.
What do you do when you feel unfocused or overwhelmed?
I take time out to rest. I ask for help from others when needed because I know I can’t possibly do everything all by myself. I have politely turned down some extra work before when I felt I was already overwhelmed.
What advice would you give a young woman looking up to be like you?
I will first tell her that she is unique and she should first aspire to be the best version of herself. Yes, she can draw inspiration from mentors and role models who have gone ahead of her but ultimately, she must know her purpose in life and pursue that very path God has laid out for her.
What is your favourite part of being a dentist for kids?
I really like the fact that as a paediatric dentist, I can establish relationships with children (whether they have special needs or not) and see them transition from infancy to adolescence. This is beautiful because in doing this, I get to educate and motivate parents to take the necessary steps at each stage so that their children can be free from every form of preventable oral disease or condition. This is important because a lot can go wrong with the mouth if it is not well taken care of and can reduce the quality of life of that child. We all know prevention is not only better but also cheaper than cure.
How do you handle patients with dental anxiety?
Dental anxiety is not peculiar to children however children are more prone to it thus managing a child’s behaviour is key in providing a successful dental treatment. I ensure that the environment is child-friendly, and communicate with the child in a very friendly manner to build trust. I explain everything that needs to be done in words the child can understand, and show the child what needs to be done before doing it. I allow the child to observe other children in the clinic who are cooperative during their treatment because children like to imitate. I usually start with the simplest treatment that needs to be done then also play their favourite cartoon on either their parent’s device or on the monitor attached to the chair to distract them. However, if the child still doesn’t cooperate, the child can be sedated or the treatment can be done under general anaesthesia with the help of the anaesthetist.
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What dental-related advice would you give to parents and their children?
The advice given to parents and children is tailored to the specific oral health needs of that child. However, the common ones I give are counselling on how to clean the mouth which helps in preventing gum disease and tooth decay. This entails proper cleaning of the child’s mouth which starts from the first day the child is born using clean warm water and a clean soft face towel to clean gum pads and tongue. I tell them that as soon as the first tooth comes into the mouth, a soft-bristled toothbrush with a smear of fluoridated toothpaste should be used. This period when tooth brushing starts coincides with the period when every child should have his or her first dental visit. I always emphasise that every child must visit a dentist before their first birthday. By three years, a pea-sized quantity of toothpaste should be used but the child is still encouraged to spit out. Brushing should be done by parents for children less than six years. Assisting and supervision of brushing should be from seven years depending on the level of dexterity of the child. Brushing should be done twice daily (morning and last thing at night) I give counselling on diet for the prevention of tooth decay encouraging a healthy diet free from refined sugar. I tell them to replace sugary snacks like chocolates, biscuits with fruits and vegetables as much as possible. Also, counselling on teeth injury prevention which includes close supervision of children, putting rugs on tiled flooring, especially for children just learning to walk, early correction of flared front teeth that are accident prone etc. I also commonly give counselling on habits like thumb sucking and thrusting of tongue which can lead to disarrangement of the teeth. Every child should have routine visits to the dental clinic every six months or three months depending on if the child has a high risk of having tooth decay, special needs etc.
What changes would you like to see in the sector?
I would like to see oral health given equal importance in the health sector. This is because the oral health is an essential part of the general health. The mouth is a vital part of the body because if anything is wrong with the mouth it affects the rest of the body and vice versa too. There should be greater awareness to the general public on oral health and also better accessibility to affordable oral health care in every region of the country. Proper funding should be made available for government-owned dental clinics for the provision of adequate facilities to deliver standard care for the general population, good working conditions and a decent salary for the oral health care workers. I would also like to see health policies that will prioritise preventive strategies against common dental diseases
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