Clarification by Minister of State for Health

10.41 am

Mr Speaker: Minister of State Rahayu, you have a clarification to make?

The Minister of State for Health (Ms Rahayu Mahzam): Thank you, Speaker. Mr Dennis Tan had, in his speech on 24 February 2026, called for Pioneer Generation (PG) and CHAS subsidies to be available at National Dental Centres when patients are referred there due to complicated conditions. Mr Tan mentioned that his colleague, Mr Kenneth Tiong, had raised the same issue in a Parliamentary Question.

I would like to make some clarifications please. Subsidies and PG benefits are, in fact, extended to patients at national dental centres. Hence, when Mr Tiong asked in November last year if polyclinic dental services should cover denture fabrication repair and fitting, the Ministry of Health (MOH) had replied that the polyclinics do cover these services. However, complex cases should still be referred to specialist centres like the National Dental Centre Singapore (NDCS), since they require specialist management. Such referral cases are subsidised at the specialist centres.

For the specific case that Mr Tan had raised, the patient has also written to The Straits Times Forum page. Subsidies were not extended to the patient's mother because she was a private patient. MOH will be reaching out to the member of public to explain the situation.

Mr Speaker: Mr Tiong.

Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat (Aljunied): I thank the Minister of State for her clarification. May I ask, what is the extent of the MediSave coverage for dental subsidies? And if so, can they be expanded?

Ms Rahayu Mahzam: I thank the Member for his question. Actually, the Ministry has recently announced higher subsidies for root canal treatments and permanent crowns, so there are some extensions already looked at. But as with many other measures, we are constantly reviewing it to see how best we can support patients.

10.43 am

Mr Speaker: I would like to move on, Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.

Because Minister of State Rahayu was raising a clarification on Mr Dennis Tan's speech; and indirectly, to Mr Tiong.