The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has announced that dental services will now be included in its healthcare benefit packages, a decision approved by the PhilHealth Board of Directors.
The new dental package will cover a range of services aimed at promoting preventive oral health. Among the benefits are mouth examinations, dental cleaning (also known as prophylaxis), and the application of fluoride varnish. Other services included are fissure sealants, emergency tooth extractions, Class V procedures, and dental consultations.
Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa emphasized the importance of integrating oral healthcare into the country’s universal health coverage. “Universal health care must include oral health care, and the most effective way to make this accessible to all Filipinos is through primary care,” Herbosa said.
The approved plan will allow PhilHealth members to access dental care through both the PhilHealth Konsulta package providers and independent, stand-alone dentists, provided they are referred by Konsulta providers.
Under the new benefit, PhilHealth will allocate a maximum of P1,000 per patient each year for preventive dental services.
The breakdown is as follows: P300 for the first visit, covering mouth screening, cleaning, and fluoride treatment; another P300 for a second visit, which must be at least four months after the first, for the same services; and P200 per tooth (for up to two teeth per year) for fissure sealants or Class V procedures.
For public dentists, no co-payments will be required. However, private dentists may charge a co-payment of up to P1,500 per visit for mouth examinations and oral cleaning, P600 for pit and fissure sealants or Class V procedures, and P600 for emergency tooth extractions.
This move is expected to significantly improve access to dental care, making it more affordable for Filipinos and contributing to better overall health outcomes.
