[Oral-dental health in the national health system of Burkina Faso].

Oral health has a low priority in the health care and national health policies of Burkina Faso because of the high mortality rate and the occurrence of endemic and epidemic diseases. However, Burkina Faso, like other developing countries, is now having to cope with increases in the incidence of oral diseases. The World Health Organization has emphasized the need to develop national oral health plans into integrated general health plans based on primary health care, to achieve its "Health for All" targets by the year 2000. The aim of this paper is to highlight the political, administrative and economic constraints involved in implementing oral health policies within the framework of primary health care in this country. The organization of oral health services, understanding and compliance with a multidisciplinary approach by oral health care staff and the promotion of oral health in a community-based approach are vital for the integration of oral health care into the general health plan.