The Philippines is known for bright smiles and warm hospitality, but millions of Filipinos are silently suffering from preventable dental problems that stop them from smiling.
World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2022 Philippine Country Oral Health Profile indicates that 29.4 percent of children ages 5 and older suffered from dental decay. Additionally, 7.5 percent of those ages 20 and above experienced complete tooth loss. The economic losses from these and other oral diseases totaled USD825 million, equivalent to P47.984 billion.
Thus, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has come up with a game-changing solution: a comprehensive dental care package that makes prevention accessible and hassle-free.
During Tuesday’s edition of the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas presented by the Philippine Information Agency National Capital Region, Dr. Bernadette C. Lico, Vice-President PhilHealth Regional Office NCR and Rizal said now Filipinos have access to oral healthcare.
“Para po sa oral health package natin sa dental care, ang ibinibigay po natin diyan is P1000 per year,” Lico said, explaining that each patient is allocated a maximum of P1,000 per year for preventive oral health services.
She said that for the first visit, P300 will cover a mouth examination, oral prophylaxis, and fluoride varnish application.
“At ang pumapasok po diyan is two visits per year, na dapat may four months in between,” she added.
Here’s a breakdown of what Filipinos can access:
* Two professional cleaning sessions with dental examinations
* Protective fluoride treatments
* Essential procedures like sealants and emergency extractions
* Regular consultations to catch problems early
The package smartly divides the benefits into:
* P300 for your first visit (cleaning, checkup, and fluoride treatment)
* Another P300 for a follow-up visit four months later
* P400 for additional protective treatments
With private dentists able to charge reasonable copayments, this initiative bridges the gap between quality care and affordability.
Lico said it’s a small investment in preventing bigger problems down the road – because every Filipino deserves to keep their smile shining bright. (JCO/PIA-NCR)
Ref: PhilHealth
