A caregiver has raised concerns about gaps between public healthcare policy and practical outcomes for elderly patients, highlighting issues with dental subsidies and access to hospital-based care.
Responding to a letter by Dr Eugene Tang titled “Oral health is a cornerstone of healthy ageing” published on Jan 22, the writer shared her family’s experience involving her 83-year-old mother, a Pioneer Generation member and Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) Blue card-holder.
The elderly woman, who has osteoporosis, has been receiving Prolia injections, a treatment that gradually led to the loss of her teeth. When she was left with only two loose teeth, several CHAS-approved neighbourhood dental clinics declined to extract them, citing concerns about possible complications linked to her medical condition.
Following a referral from her endocrinologist, the extractions were eventually carried out without incident at a National Dental Centre satellite clinic located at Changi General Hospital.
However, the caregiver was surprised to learn that no Pioneer Generation or CHAS subsidies applied to the procedure, as her mother was classified as a “private” patient in the hospital setting. She noted that patients attending neighbourhood dental clinics are also considered private patients, despite being eligible for subsidies there.
In this case, seeking hospital-based dental care was not a matter of preference, but a medical necessity, she said.
If oral health is truly fundamental to healthy ageing, as Dr Tang argued, the writer suggested that the Ministry of Health review how dental subsidies are applied. She called for changes to ensure elderly patients are not financially disadvantaged when their dental care must be provided in hospitals due to medical complexity.