Edo: ‘Leverage technology, AI to transform healthcare’ – Okpebholo urges orthodontists
The Edo State government has said it is leveraging technology and innovation to improve access to quality healthcare in the state.
DAILY POST reports that the State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, disclosed this on Thursday at the 19th Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Association of Orthodontics in Benin City.
The conference had as its theme, “Embracing Technology and Innovations in Orthodontics: Pioneering the Future.”
Okpebholo, represented by the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Cyril Oshiomhole, opined that technology and innovation are key to advancing the health sector.
According to him, Edo remains committed to embracing technology and innovation in its healthcare system through strengthening professional training and working closely with health associations to raise standards, regulate practice, and expand access to quality care.
The governor, who urged participants and delegates to embrace technology and innovations in orthodontics, noted that artificial intelligence is transforming the way orthodontic care is delivered.
“For us in Nigeria, the real challenge is to ensure that these innovations do not remain out of reach for the majority of our people. We must embrace technology in a way that improves access, affordability, and safety for all.
“Orthodontics is not only about aligning teeth. It is about restoring confidence, improving speech, nutrition, and overall well-being. You make people smile with dignity, and that is priceless,” he said.
He appreciated the association for its consistency and commitment to advancing oral health in Nigeria.
Earlier, the President of the Nigerian Association of Orthodontics, NAO, Dr Olayinka Adeyinka, explained that orthodontics plays a crucial role in delivering optimal oral healthcare to the population by correcting and managing malocclusions, which, if untreated, can be debilitating both functionally and mentally.
Adeyinka also added that orthodontists play a major and critical role in the management and rehabilitation of babies born with cleft lip and palate.
He said such babies are managed until their adolescent years, alongside other specialists.
“Most of these patients come from low-income families, and orthodontists help ease the burden of care for these patients through their timely and expert intervention,” he stated.
Adeyinka, while emphasising the role of orthodontics in healthcare delivery, wished the incoming president of the association, Prof Idia Ize-Iyamu, a successful tenure as she takes on the baton of leadership.
