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The founder of Zoom36 Dental Care, Elias Joshua Okwuchukwu, has said Nigerians are gradually moving away from seeking dental treatment only during emergencies towards more preventive oral healthcare.
Okwuchukwu said the shift was being driven by increased health awareness and changing attitudes towards dental care.
“We are seeing a transition from fear-driven, emergency visits to more informed and proactive care, where patients are actively engaged in maintaining their oral health,” he said.
He noted that dental care in Nigeria had historically been largely reactive, with many patients visiting dentists only when they experienced pain or other emergencies.
According to him, the pattern has contributed to low awareness of preventive dental practices and increased anxiety about dental visits.
Okwuchukwu, however, identified economic challenges and long-standing perceptions about dental treatment as major barriers to the wider adoption of preventive oral healthcare.
He said greater awareness and improved access to dental services would be necessary to encourage more Nigerians to prioritise regular oral health checks.
“As awareness grows, we expect preventive care to become the norm rather than the exception in Nigeria’s dental landscape,” he added.
