Question No. 180
To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will look into reducing the waiting time needed for seniors to get a pair of dentures from govt dental clinics.
1. Dental patients who require immediate treatment will be attended to immediately. While most dental conditions are diagnosed and treated at the same sitting, the denture-making process requires several clinical appointments as well as multiple dental laboratory steps and involvement to deliver the completed dentures to the patient to ensure proper fit. In such cases, appointments are scheduled based on case complexity and urgency.
2. The introduction of the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) in 2012 has improved the accessibility and affordability of dental care, including denture treatment, at private dental clinics. The number of private dental clinics participating in CHAS has increased from 290 in 2012 to over 700 currently. Polyclinics also inform patients about the availability of CHAS dental clinics, where eligible patients, including Pioneer Generation (PG) and Merdeka Generation (MG) seniors, have the option to seek denture treatment at CHAS dental clinics.
3. Additionally, the Ministry of Health has partnered with Temasek Foundation to roll out Project Silver Screen (PSS), a nationwide functional screening programme for Singaporeans aged 60 years and above to detect age-related decline in vision, hearing and oral health, and provide timely interventions to improve the seniors’ quality of life. Under the PSS programme, seniors who require dentures would receive vouchers to defray the out-of-pocket costs for their treatment post-government subsidies. This complements the government’s existing efforts in ensuring that denture treatment remains accessible and affordable for seniors.
4. We will continue to monitor and meet the dental care needs of Singaporeans at the appropriate settings.