Tulfo seeks to include dental services in PhilHealth benefits

Senator Raffy Tulfo on Monday filed a resolution seeking to expand the benefit packages of Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) into providing comprehensive dental health services, including free dentures.

Tulfo filed Senate Resolution 1021, urging the government to assess the feasibility of amending the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act by mandating PhilHealth to include dental health services and procedures like oral prophylaxis and free dentures in its packages.

Under the UHC Act, Tulfo noted that the PhilHealth coverage does not explicitly include dental health services and procedures — like oral prophylaxis and free dentures saying it "leaves a significant gap in access to essential dental care."

"Dental health is an integral component of overall health and well-being, yet, access to dental services remains limited and often unaffordable for many Filipinos," he said.

Citing the 2018 National Health Survey, the senator noted that 73 million Filipinos are suffering from dental caries or tooth decay.

Harvard Health Publishing wrote an article on 15 February 2021, stressing that heart attack, stroke, or other serious cardiovascular events are two to three times more likely to occur among people with gum disease, also known as periodontal disease.

In his resolution, Tulfo explained that gum disease begins when the sticky, bacteria-laden film dentists refer to as plaque builds up around teeth and a completely different type of plaque can then build up inside arteries.

This fatty plaque is the hallmark of coronary artery disease known as atherosclerosis, which is a marker of coronary heart disease.

Thus, Tulfo pointed out that good oral health is significantly linked to an individual's employability.

He noted that most employers prefer hiring those with pleasing personalities and professional appearances.

"Ensuring access to dental health services is not only a matter of public health but also of economic productivity, as poor dental maintenance can adversely affect job prospects and career advancement," he said.

"The provision of dentures, as a prosthetic solution for tooth loss, can restore oral function, and enhance self-esteem and confidence for individuals who cannot afford dental treatment," he added.

Tulfo emphasized that the inability to access affordable dental care, including dentures, disproportionately affects marginalized populations and weighs in on existing disparities in oral health outcomes."