Singapore Oral Healthcare
According to the World Health Organization and studies conducted by the Global Burden of Diseases, oral diseases affect approximately 3.5 billion people worldwide. Untreated dental caries is the most prevalent health condition, followed by periodontal disease, which is the sixth most prevalent. In terms of economic burden, oral diseases ranked fourth among all diseases.
Singapore recognizes this, especially given the increasing evidence suggesting a strong link between oral health and systemic health. Thus, Singapore aligns its healthcare strategy for the population with the WHO Resolution on oral health. The recommendation is to shift from the traditional curative approach towards a preventive approach.
The population’s dental and oral hygiene is good, which could be attributed to Singapore’s overall healthcare system, which is considered one of the best in the world. As such, dental services offered have shifted from the traditional “drill and fill” regime to one that focuses on maintaining overall oral health and hygiene and improving and enhancing a patient’s smile, confidence, and aesthetic appearance.
According to the Ministry of Health, over 50% of Singaporeans visit a dentist yearly. De Over 60% stated preventive care as the reason for the last dental visit, and 40% said the reason was reactive dental care. There are 249 public dental clinics in Singapore, most of which are school dental clinics, and approximately 955 private dental clinics offer essential dental services for orthodontics, implants, and cosmetic enhancements. Some are group practices, while others are independently run.
The National University of Singapore has a Centre for Oral Health, which is a multidisciplinary facility for clinical dental services, education, and research. It focuses on a broad spectrum of problems and disease states. These include typical dental conditions such as children’s dental problems, adult dental problems such as broken-down and discolored teeth, decay and orthodontic conditions, as well as acquired congenital and developmental defects of the head and neck, cleft lip and palate deformity, facial pain and temporomandibular disorder, maxillofacial conditions and industry and oral disease and cancer.
The cost of dental care has been increasing over the past few years, driven by inflation and rising business costs, but demand remains high. Medical tourism is also one of the critical drivers of the economy, and each year, approximately half a million international patients visit Singapore for treatment. Singapore’s dental services, equipment, and supplies market is expected to grow with the increased focus on preventative, corrective oral health and the city state’s reputation as the region’s healthcare and dentistry centers of excellence.
U.S. companies that supply cutting-edge, revolutionary as well as standard, high-quality products and services that support the oral health and dentistry sector ecosystem may find Singapore a suitable market.
Those interested in exploring the Singapore market may contact Ms. Luanne Theseira at the U.S. Commercial Service in Singapore.