Agony Of Patients As Orthodontic Treatment Crisis Deepens At Edo Specialist Hospital

by MIKE OSAROGIAGBON

Patients whose orthodontic treatment was suspended at the Edo State Specialist Hospital, Benin City, nearly one year ago, are groaning over worsening dental problems, with some forced to seek alternative care after waiting months for the hospital to resume services.

The patients complained of loose braces, misaligned teeth, periodic bleeding and halitosis (mouth odor), which they attributed to the prolonged absence of follow-up treatment.

Alltimepost.com investigation revealed that the crisis began in July 2025 after the hospital’s only orthodontist left Nigeria.

It was also gathered that patients who arrived for scheduled appointments at the time were told to return home and “wait for a call”, which they are yet to receive at press time today.

Further investigation showed that some affected patients had resorted to private dental clinics, while others could not afford alternative treatment and had remained stranded since the suspension.

“I came for a check-up two months ago, only to be told my orthodontist had left the country. They said I would be reassigned and called. Till now, no call. My braces are loose, and two teeth are misaligned. “I cannot afford a private dentist like my niece did after we came here together. My parents already paid for the services I am not getting now,” a patient lamented.

A man, who identified himself simply as David, said his son had commenced treatment at the hospital last year but the family later became concerned over additional charges for braces.

“My son fixed his first braces last year. During check-ups, we paid N5,000 to replace any broken brace. A few months later, we were told the hospital did not supply braces and that the available ones were sourced from a private clinic, so we paid N10,000 each,” he said.

Another patient alleged that he paid N600,000 towards treatment expected to last at least 18 months but was informed just two weeks into the treatment that the doctor had travelled abroad.

“I expected the hospital to have an MoU with University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), or other facilities for a referral so that my treatment could be completed. I am pained that my state government-owned healthcare facility could treat me so shabbily,” he said.

Previous checks by our correspondent at the hospital’s Dental Care Unit revealed that a list of affected patients had been compiled while management awaited the resumption of orthodontists it had recruited.

However, an insider who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the proposed recruitment failed after the hospital management and the specialists disagreed over their conditions of engagement.

Contacted for comments in the wake of the crisis last year, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Cyril Oshiomhole, acknowledged the impact of the “Japa” syndrome on the health sector, but said the government had embarked on recruitment to address manpower shortages.

“Possibly they must have gotten an orthodontist. We still need doctors,” Dr. Oshiomhole said.”

He added that the government was working on an incentive model to retain medical personnel.

“What the state government wants to do is to come up with a model, a form of revenue-sharing formula between the doctors and the hospital so that there will not be a need for Japa,” he assured.

When Alltimepost.com visited the facility last week, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Anthonia Inibokun Njoku, said efforts were ongoing to recruit orthodontists, insisting that the hospital would not employ unqualified practitioners.

The CMD explained that a whole lot of efforts have been made to get orthodontists for the hospital, assuring that very soon respite would come their way.

“I am not sleeping over it, that is why I can be bold to talk. What I am planning, the next exam season I will carry myself to Ibadan to scout for them not only in that field, so I am going to discuss with the consultant orthodontist.

“It is a special area in medicine, mind you this is a government hospital, we will not employ quacks, the ones we have seen wanted to rip us off, I told them you cannot rip us, this is what is supposed to be a win win situation. Maybe after this ceremony this week I will want to meet with the patients on the list and talk with them, we will address that,” she explained.

Meanwhile, the patients have appealed to Governor Monday Okpebholo to intervene and ensure the immediate restoration of orthodontic services, urging the government to recruit specialists or establish temporary referral arrangements with government-owned tertiary hospitals such as the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).

“We have paid for our treatment and started the process in good faith. We only want the government to help us complete what we started,” a patient appealed.