Waiting Time for Dental Treatment at Polyclinics

7 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the Ministry doing to reduce the waiting time for dental treatment at polyclinics; (b) whether appointments for diagnosis and treatment can be made together with closer intervals; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider getting private practitioners onboard to relieve the manpower shortage.

The Senior Minister of State for Health (Dr Lam Pin Min) (for the Minister for Health): Mdm Speaker, dental attendances in our polyclinics have been growing, from 149,000 in 2013 to 179,000 in 2016. Our polyclinics have expanded dental capacity, reviewed work processes and introduced measures to improve waiting times. We will continue to expand capacity to address the increasing demand for dental services. This includes building more dental facilities in the upcoming new polyclinics, such as Punggol Polyclinic, as well as expanding existing polyclinic dental facilities.

The introduction of the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) in 2012 has also improved the accessibility of subsidised primary dental care through private dental clinics. Today, there are over 700 private dental clinics participating in CHAS, an increase from 290 in 2012. In 2016, there were over 500,000 subsidised dental attendances at CHAS dental clinics. Polyclinics also inform patients about availability of CHAS dental clinics, where eligible patients can also access primary dental care if they choose to do so.

Patients assessed to require immediate treatment can be attended to immediately. Most dental conditions are diagnosed and treated at the same sitting. However, a minority of patients require additional appointments for more extensive treatments. In such cases, when the next appointment is scheduled will depend on the urgency of the situation.

We will continue to monitor and meet the primary dental care needs of Singaporeans through both our polyclinics and CHAS dental clinics.

Mdm Speaker: Er Dr Lee Bee Wah.

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): Mdm Speaker, I have three supplementary questions. I was told by my residents that National Dental Centre Singapore is very shorthanded and the waiting time can be more than a year. I think a year is a little bit too long, and this is very concerning for many Singaporeans. I would like to ask what more can be done in order to shorten this period.

The second question is: can residents seek treatment at the existing dental clinics, for example, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and Changi Hospital? Or are they now designated as private dental clinics?

Third question: do the dental clinic at polyclinics provide specialised dental treatment, such as root canal treatment?

Dr Lam Pin Min: I would like to thank Er Dr Lee Bee Wah for the supplementary questions. Only dental conditions that require specialist dental care will be referred for management at the national specialty centres.

With regard to the long waiting time at the Dental Centre Singapore, we are currently expanding and upgrading our specialty centres. The new National Dental Centre Singapore will be expanded as part of the overall Outram campus plan which will be redeveloped in phases. In addition, the National University Hospital (NUH) Dental Centre has also started accepting specialty referrals. So, not only just the National Dental Centre, the NUH Dental Centre does accept specialty referrals as well. In addition, the NUH National University Centre for Oral Health will be completed in 2019 and this will also increase the capacity of managing these patients.

Since 2011, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has put in place measures to offer root canal treatments, dentures, crowns and bridges at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital at subsidised rates limited to polyclinic referrals only. Er Dr Lee also mentioned about whether such subsidised cases can be provided at the other hospitals. In fact, MOH takes reference from recommendations on national dental services strategy, and subsidised specialist dental care is only provided at designated national dental specialty centres, which include the National Dental Centre Singapore, NUH Dental Centre and some in Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. The reason for this is that it allows consolidation of manpower as well as specialty resources for the provision of these specialty services. At the same time, we also provide training opportunities for dental students as well as specialist training.

Mdm Speaker: Er Dr Lee.

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah: I have a resident who has been receiving treatment at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital but then, lately, he was told that he cannot go there anymore because now it is designated as a private dental clinic. Is this true?

Dr Lam Pin Min: In fact, all dental services in other hospitals other than what I have described are to provide private dental specialty services to patients. I have mentioned the reasons: to consolidate manpower resources at the three designated centres and, at the same time, provide opportunities for training of our dental specialists.