Dental care: the role of traditional healers.

Some reorientation is required, and the first step should be for health professionals to delineate the boundaries of "health". Professionals should work to convince the public that the right approach is that of positive health. The use of the word "health" in a negative sense should be avoided in both professional and official circles, so that the public's perceptions are less influenced by failures in therapeutic techniques or service provision. An immense effort should be made to indicate the need for personal responsibility in matters of health.