Republic of the Philippines

Mariano Marcos State University

College of Health Sciences
Department of Nursing
Batac City, 2906

Oral Health Programs

by the DOH

Respectfully submitted by:

Catcatan, Bea Patricia R.
Ventura, Kathleen Louise D.

Respectfully submitted to:

Prof. Rosemarie G. Asuncion
 Oral Health Program cuts across all life-cycle programs child, maternal, adolescent,
older person of the Family Health Office, National Center for Disease Prevention and Control.

1. Problem
The main oral health problems are dental caries (tooth decay) and periodontal
disease (gum disease). These two oral diseases are so widespread that 87% of the citizens are
suffering from tooth decay and 48% have gum disease. (2011 NMEDS Survey)
The combined ill effects of these two major diseases weaken bodily defense and
serve as portal of entry to other more serious, potentially dangerous and opportunistic
infections overlapping other disease present. Such will incapacitate a young victim as in
crippling heart conditions arising from oral infection.

2. Program Objectives

General:

Reduction on the prevalence rate of dental caries and periodontal diseases from
92% in 1998 to 85% and from 78% in 1998 to 60% respectively, by the end of 2016 among
general population.

Specific:

a) To increase the proportion of Orally Fit Children (OFC) under 6 years old to 12% by
20% by 2020.

b) To control oral health risks among the young people.

c) To improve the oral health conditions of pregnant women by 20% and older persons
by 10% every year till 2016.

3. Target Priorities
Pre-school children, Adolescents, Mothers, and Elderly
4. Strategies and Future Plans/Actions

Formulate policy and regulations to ensure the full implementation of OHP.

a) Establishment of effective networking system (DepEd, LGU, PDA, Fit for

School, Academe and others)

b) Development of policies, standards, guidelines, and clinical protocols

- Fluoride use

- Tooth brushing

- Other preventive measures

c) Upgrade of Dental Services Unit all levels

Ensure financial access to essential public and personal oral health services

a) Develop an outpatient benefit package for oral health under NHIP of the
government

b) Develop financing schemes for oral health applicable to other levels of care
(fee for service, cooperatives, network with HMOS)

c) Restoration of oral health budget line item in the GAA of DOH CO

Provide relevant, timely, and accurate information management system for oral health

a) Improve existing information system/data collection (reporting and recording

dental services and accomplishments)
 - Setting essential indicators

- Development of IT system on recording and reporting oral health services

accomplishments and indices

- Integrate oral health in every family health information tools, recording

books/manuals

b) Conduct regular epidemiological dental surveys every 5 years

Ensure access and delivery of quality oral health care services

a) Upgrading of facilities, equipment, instruments, supplies

b) Develop packages of essential care/services for different groups (children,

mothers, and marginalized groups)

- Revival of the sealant program for school children

- Tooth brushing program for pre-school children

- Outreach programs for marginalized groups

c) Design and implement grant assistance mechanism for high performing LGUs

- Awards and incentives

- Funding grants for priority programs/activities

d) Regular conduct of consultation meetings, technical updates, and program

implementation reviews with stakeholders
 Build up highly motivated health professionals and trained auxiliaries to manage and
provide quality oral health care

a) Provision of adequate dental personnel

b) Capacity enhancement programs for dental personnel and non-dental personnel

5. Status of Implementation/Accomplishments

Outpatient Dental Health Care Finance Package

It is being advocated for inclusion under PhilHealth outpatient packages. The best
scheme is through Capitation wherein a certain amount will be provided for these dental
services for indigent patients to certain health facilities including RHUs.

Capacity Enhancement Program (CEP) for Public Health Dentists

This training program was designed with the public health dentists (PHDs) as the
main recipients of the Basic Course on the Management of Oral Health Program. The
training is expected to provide an in-depth understanding of the different roles and
functions of the PHDs in the management and delivery of Public Health Services. For
the last two years (2010-2011), 10.2 Million pesos were sub-allotted to all CHDs for
this purpose. To date almost 87% of all PHDs are trained. NCDPC is proposing to
develop Skills Training (Oral and Maxillo-facial surgery) for Hospital dentist as
continuation to the CEP.

Oral Health Survey

The Department of Health (DOH) has been conducting nationwide surveys every
five years (1977, 1982, 1987, 1992 and 1998) to determine the prevalence of oral
diseases in the Philippines. In 2011, the NCDPC with a 5 Million pesos budget
conducted the National Monitoring and Evaluation Dental Survey (NMEDS) through
the UP-National Institute of Health (UP-NIH).
 Orally Fit Child (OFC) Campaign

In 2009 the DOH launched the OFC campaign for 2-6 years old children (pre-
school children) in day care centers. Orally Fit child is a child who meets the following
conditions upon oral examination and /or completion of treatment:

a) caries-free or all carious tooth/teeth must be restored either temporary or

permanent filling materials

b) have healthy gums

c) has no oral debris

d) no dent-facial anomaly that limits oral cavitys normal function.

NCDPC have allotted 8.5 million pesos each year to implement the programing day
care centers. Activities include both tooth brushing activities, training of day care workers,
awards, IEC materials among others. The DOH is hoping to attain 12% OFC in 2016 and
20% in 2020. To date more or less 3.20% preschoolers are OFC.

2013 Budget (23.6 million)

Commodities (Dental Sealant and ART Filing materials for pre-school children) = 20
million

2014 Budget (35 million)

6. Laws

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9484 - an act to regulate the practice of dentistry, dental hygiene
and dental technology in the Philippines, repealing for the purpose
 REPUBLIC ACT NO. 4419 - an act to regulate the practice of dentistry in the Philippines,
and for other purposes

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 768 - an act to regulate the practice of dental hygienists in the
Philippines, and for other purposes

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 417 - an act to regulate the practice of dentistry in the Philippines,
and for other purposes

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 3814 - an act creating the bureau of dental health services