Debated in Parliament on 2 Jul 2024.
Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the percentage of Singapore Citizens (i) below 50 years old and (ii) above 50 years old, who have sought dental treatment in 2012 as compared to 2023 respectively; (b) whether the Ministry tracks the dental benefits that employees are offered, especially for senior employees; and (c) when will the Ministry next conduct a review of the current subsidy and regulatory framework for dental services.
The proportion of Singapore residents who visited a dentist in the past 12 months remained stable from 2019 to 2023. We do not have statistics before 2019. Among those aged 18 to 49, the proportion increased slightly from 59.4% in 2019 to 61.6% in 2023. Among those aged 50 to 74, the proportion remained stable between 53.0% and 53.7% in the period 2019 to 2023.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) does not track dental benefits enjoyed by private sector employees. Public sector employees enjoy $120 of dental benefits at outpatient settings per year and these are reviewed periodically by the Public Service Division.
The regulations for outpatient dental services were reviewed and promulgated under the Healthcare Services Regulations in June 2023. MOH reviews dental policies, including financing, from time to time.
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