Objective: The aim of the pathfinder survey was to assess the periodontal status and treatment needs in The Gambia.
Methods: A multistage stratified random sampling technique was used to obtain a sample of 1,235 (or 0.1% of the national population). The study was conducted according to the World Health Organisation's criteria (WHO, 1987). The WHO J2 software programme was used to analyse the data.
Results: Not more than 12% of subjects in any age group had healthy periodontal tissues. Two to three sextants were healthy among those under the age of 35 years. Shallow (4-5 mm) pockets were present in all ages. However, less than one sextant was involved among subjects younger than 25 years. Despite the high prevalence of pockets, few sextants were edentulous. The majority of subjects needed oral hygiene instructions and oral prophylaxis. Of the subjects between the ages of 8 and 29 years, 5-28% needed complex treatment in only half of a sextant. Similarly, 38% and 80% of older subjects needed complex treatment in 0.8-1.9 sextants.
Conclusion: A national oral health plan in The Gambia should focus on health education and provision of oral prophylaxis by trained auxiliary health care workers. In conclusion, there is a need to develop a functional district oral health services system in The Gambia.