More Measures to Encourage Seniors to Go for Regular Dental Check-ups
Ministry of HealthSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Ms Joan Pereira’s inquiry regarding additional measures to encourage seniors to seek regular dental check-ups alongside the October 2025 enhanced CHAS subsidies. Minister Ong Ye Kung highlighted that dental care is being expanded through over 1,000 CHAS clinics and 15 polyclinics to bring services closer to residents. He noted that Project Silver Screen screens over 30,000 seniors annually, while the National Dental Centre Singapore (NDCS) promotes the 8020 oral health movement. Furthermore, the NDCS has introduced caregiver training, tele-dentistry for nursing homes, and a mobile dental clinic to enhance accessibility and preventive care. These initiatives collectively aim to reduce oral frailty and enable early detection of dental problems through community outreach and strengthened financial support.
Transcript
37 Ms Joan Pereira asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health whether measures are being considered to further encourage seniors to go for regular dental check-ups and preventive care in addition to the enhanced Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) subsidies for dental procedures implemented in October 2025 to improve support for dental care.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Singapore has a range of policies and programmes to help seniors access dental care regularly, focusing on preventive care, access to services and financial support.
We recently enhanced CHAS subsidies for preventive dental care in October 2025. We are also working towards bringing dental care closer to where seniors live by expanding dental services at polyclinics and strengthening partnerships with community dental providers to make regular visits and routine care more convenient for seniors. Subsidised dental care in the community is currently available at over 1,000 CHAS clinics and 15 polyclinics.
We encourage seniors to go for regular dental check-ups as part of preventive care. For example, Project Silver Screen (PSS) is a nationwide community screening programme that screens seniors aged 60 and above in their vision, hearing and oral health. Seniors found to have dental abnormalities will be referred to CHAS dental clinics. More than 30,000 seniors are screened under PSS each year.
The National Dental Centre Singapore (NDCS) also runs programmes to support seniors' oral health. The Oral Health Movement 8020 encourages older adults to retain at least 20 teeth into their 80s, reducing oral frailty and enabling early detection of risk factors. Complementing this, the Oral Health Education Programme trains caregivers in long-term care settings to provide basic oral hygiene and recognise dental problems. To improve access, NDCS offers Tele-dentistry Oral Care for Seniors for remote consultations, hygiene support and denture care for residents in nursing homes and home care and has recently launched its first mobile dental clinic to bring dental services closer to the elderly community.