The Department of Health (DOH) is seeking to revive the Oral Health Bureau and expand access to dental services as it revealed that nine out of 10 Filipino children suffer from tooth decay.
DOH Undersecretary Emmie Liza Chiong announced Monday that the agency is pushing to separate oral health from the nutrition program to allow for a dedicated budget and better advocacy.
Currently, oral health receives approximately ₱800 million, which accounts for only 0.14 percent of the health budget.
The push for structural reform comes as the country faces a severe shortage of dental professionals.
Chiong noted that the Philippines currently has a ratio of one dentist for every 53,000 citizens, a stark contrast to the World Health Organization’s recommended ratio of 1:7,500.
To address this, the DOH is supporting Congressional measures to increase the salary grades of government dentists to attract more professionals to the public sector.
Amid these challenges, the DOH urged the public to utilize the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) Oral Health Preventive Package.
Approved in December 2024, the package remains underutilized due to low public awareness. It offers members free services, including:
• Two dental cleanings per year
• Oral examinations
• Fluoride application for children
• Interventions for tooth sensitivity in adults
Additionally, the DOH and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) are moving toward requiring dental facilities to obtain a “license to operate,” similar to hospitals.
The move aims to crack down on unlicensed practitioners and “fake dentists” offering cheap, illegal services on social media.
While health services are devolved to local government units (LGUs), Chiong emphasized that the national government is working to fill gaps in supplies and equipment, particularly in remote health centers.