Slovak Dental Sector 2022
Market Trends
There are almost 3,000 dentists in Slovakia most of whom are members of The Slovak Chamber of Dentists, a non-governmental, self-governing, non-political, professional organization operating in Slovakia.
Slovak dental market by specialization.
|
Year |
Dentist |
Dental Technician |
Dental Hygienist |
Dental Assistant |
Total |
|
2015 |
2,647 |
842 |
237 |
141 |
3867 |
|
2016 |
2,701 |
812 |
256 |
150 |
3919 |
|
2017 |
2,723 |
799 |
270 |
185 |
3977 |
|
2018 |
2,779 |
801 |
341 |
290 |
4211 |
|
2019 |
2,853 |
749 |
382 |
333 |
4317 |
|
2020 |
2,887 |
692 |
400 |
393 |
4372 |
|
Average |
2,765 |
782 |
314 |
249 |
4110 |
Dental Technician is a two-year specialization, Dental Assistant is a four-year graduation program (or a two-year postgraduate study), Dental Technology is a three- or four-year bachelor’s study program and Dentistry is a six-year master’s degree study.
Number of students in a given year according to specialization with the filtered effect of various lengths of study
|
Year |
Dental technician |
Dental Technology |
Dentist |
Dental Assistant |
Total |
|
2021 |
8 |
22 |
116 |
165 |
311 |
In spite of the high interest in the profession of dentist (668 Slovak students and 282 foreign students) the Slovak Chamber of Dentists points out lack of dentists in the future due to brain drain.
The share of dentists in the 60+ age category has increased from 2008-2020 by more than 55percent. With these dentists retiring, the availability of dentistry in Slovakia’s aging society is likely to worsen.
Market Opportunities
In 2020 Slovak dental clinics registered 5,090,591 patients in systematic care. Since 2013, the number of dental care visitors in Slovakia has shown a slightly declining trend, with the most significant 18.05 percent decrease year-on-year (1.05 visits per registered person) recorded in 2020, related to the COVID-19 pandemic and several lockdowns introduced by the Slovak government. Similarly, as consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic the preventive examination of the oral cavity decreased by 20.8 percent.
Most of the dentists in Slovakia are private practitioners who receive full payment for their services directly from patients. Private dental clinics are interested in keeping up-to-date on the latest technological advances and procuring new equipment to satisfy the demands of their customers. Especially promising segments for U.S. suppliers are dental hygiene and within the dental equipment laser dentistry, implants, and cosmetic/aesthetic dentistry.
Development of the number of outpatient visits per registered patient by age groups,
2013 - 2020
Legend: “rokov means “years”
Source: National Health Information Center
Development of the number of persons with a preventive examination of the oral cavity, 2015 - 2020
Source: National Health Information Center
2020 Dental Services
Source: National Health Information Center
Experts recommend attending preventive examinations at least once a year which most Slovaks obey. Though awareness has improved and Slovaks have perfected the care of their teeth, there are still plenty of shortcomings in education and preventive care.
All three health insurance companies (Vseobecna zdravotna poistovna, Union, Dovera) offer one free dental preventive examination a year. It includes an examination of the condition of the teeth, mucous membranes, soft tissues of the jaws and the oral cavity. The preventive examination also includes instructions for dental hygiene if the dentist notices its deficiencies, the determination of the dental caries index and the determination of the bleeding papilla index, to determine the condition of the gums. If necessary, the dentist simultaneously removes the coating, tartar, and treats a small tooth decay. Patients who have dental prostheses are also monitored. Passing the yearly dental examination secures free standard dental treatment for next year. This does not apply if private practitioners do not have contracts with mentioned insurance companies and patients pay for all treatments direct.
Lead Event
Slovak Dental Days September 30 – October 1, 2022 /organized by Slovak Chamber of Dentists
Bratislava Dental Days May 12-13, 2023 /organized by Regional Chamber of the Slovak Chamber of Dentists
Lead Associations
- Slovak Chamber of Dentists
- Slovak Dental Society
- Slovak Orthodontic Society
- Slovak Endodontic Society
- Slovak Periodontological Society
- Implantology Club of the Slovak Republic
Market Entry:
Slovak dental market structure by NACE:
- 35000 / Manufacture of medical and dental instruments and supplies / 268 companies
- 86230 / Dental practice / 1762 dental practices
- Free internet shows 46 companies active in the dental aids and supplies segment.
- Currently, there is no limitation imposed by the State to enter the market. R&D, applied R&D and higher added value projects are more likely to receive government’s aid.
Contact
Lucia Maskova, Commercial Specialist
Email: Lucia.maskova@trade.gov