Committee of Supply 2023 debate, Day 6: Shahira Abdullah on geriatric and special care dentistry

Geriatric dentistry focuses on the oral health of the elderly while special care dentistry is for those with special needs. However, neither one is recognised as a dental speciality. This means there is no clear route of career progression, which may deter young dentists from getting such training. Making the point in Parliament on Friday (Mar 3), NMP Shahira Abdullah strongly urged the Ministry of Health to change this policy and asked what are the considerations involved. She also said geriatric and special care dentists cannot handle the needs of the ageing population alone. General practitioners (GPs) should be able to handle mild to moderate cases, but the reality is that many may not be confident of doing so and it may incur more costs. Dr Shahira asked if dentists could get some incentives for their work and whether clinical practice guidelines could be established to help ensure appropriate and quality care for those vulnerable groups.