Subsidies for Dental Care at Polyclinics, Restructured Hospitals and National Dental Centre

Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the current amount of subsidies given to Singaporeans for dental treatment at polyclinics, restructured hospitals and the National Dental Centre; and (b) how long do subsidised patients have to wait on average to arrange for a dental treatment/procedure at these various institutions.

Mr Gan Kim Yong: Subsidised basic dental care is available at the polyclinics, while the full range of subsidised tertiary dental services – such as for crowns, bridges, dentures and root canal treatment – is available at the National Dental Centre (NDC). Only procedures deemed cosmetic in nature, such as dental laminates and bleaching services, are not subsidised. Government subvention to these institutions for providing subsidised dental services amounted to around $23 million in FY2010.

Mr Tay also asked about the average waiting time for subsidised dental treatment. At NDC, the median waiting time for the first appointment is around 18 days. At the first appointment, patients are assessed and triaged. Those who need treatment urgently are cared for first. Elderly patients who need urgent denture replacements to function are also prioritised. In general, patients are placed on waiting lists only if their conditions are stable and pain-free. For elective dental procedures, the waiting time would depend on the type of procedure being carried out. Patients requiring crowning and dentures are usually seen within three to five months; more complex procedures like root canal treatment, which is a multi-staged treatment regime, will typically take longer for the whole treatment process. However, patients experiencing severe pain or who require emergency dental treatment will be attended to on an urgent basis, regardless of their subsidy status.

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We will be increasing the annual intake for Dentistry at the National University of Singapore (NUS) to expand our dental capacity. In addition, under the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) 7 , eligible patients can also receive subsidies for treatment at participating private dental clinics for root canal treatment, crowns and dentures, as well as basic dental services such as scaling and polishing. This will provide alternative options and added convenience for patients.