Review of dental workforce development and utilisation in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

When Papua New Guinea gained political independence from Australia in September 1975 it developed its own internal political system. One of the major political developments that took place was the decentralisation of decision making powers from the Central Government to the provinces which led to the creation of a Provincial Government system. Thus the health functions, including dental, were transferred to the Provincial Governments except for some nationally important health functions which remained with the National Department of Health. The decentralisation of health functions affected the dental services in the provinces, in particular the school dental service.