Dental prices in Singapore rising, however worker advantages not at all times conserving tempo
SINGAPORE – The cost of dental care has been edging up over the past few years, driven by inflation and rising business costs, yet many workers are finding that their dental benefits have not kept pace, said human resource experts.
The rising costs are leading some employees to fork out more for dental care, and driving others to visit dentists across the Causeway in Johor Bahru.
The Straits Times reported in May that more Singaporeans have been visiting dentists in Johor, where some dental services cost a fraction of what they do here. The report prompted the Singapore Dental Association to call for dental benefits here to be relooked.
Dr Tan Tien Wang, general secretary of the association, said in a letter to ST that there was a need for “continual assessment and refinement of government subsidies, reimbursement schemes and regulatory frameworks”, especially when cost considerations are a significant driver behind a minority of Singaporeans seeking dental treatment abroad.
Checks by ST show that the cost of dental treatments has been rising over the years.
Citing figures from the Singapore Department of Statistics, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said the consumer price index (CPI) for dental services including fillings and root canal treatments as well as scaling and polishing saw an average annualised growth rate of 1.8 per cent from 2019 to 2023.
Compared with 2019, the CPI for dental services in 2023 by public institutions including polyclinics, specialist outpatient clinics and hospitals, as well as private dental clinics, has risen by nearly 7.5 per cent.
According to clinics’ website, at NTUC Health Denticare, which has 19 clinics in Singapore, basic dental treatments such as scaling and polishing would have cost around $50 in 2020. The same type of treatment now costs $65.40.
Meanwhile, the Q&M dental group, which runs over 100 clinics in Singapore, now starts charging from $87.20, up from $74.90 in 2021.
A Q&M spokesperson said prices have been adjusted gradually over the past years to account for inflation and increased business costs, such as rent, manpower and material expenses.
For many workers, though, dental benefits have not risen in tandem.
These can vary widely between firms. In the private sector, some employees get free annual dental check-ups, and others can receive up to $1,200 in flexible claims that also cover medical charges or personal holiday expenses. Still others do not get any dental coverage.
Public officers in Singapore can claim up to $120 a year in dental benefits. That figure was last adjusted in April 2013, over a decade ago, while dental costs have crept upwards since then.
In a written parliamentary reply in November 2023, Minister-in-charge of the Public Service Chan Chun Sing said only 20 per cent of public officers utilised their dental benefits fully.
In response to queries from ST, a Public Service Division spokesperson said the Government continually considers the adequacy of its overall compensation and benefits package, taking into account the cost of healthcare, fiscal prudence, as well as other national policies. This includes working with MOH.
