He Ting Ru questions MOH on dental tourism to Johor Bahru as Singaporeans seek affordable options

On 11 November, Workers’ Party (WP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Sengkang GRC, He Ting Ru, raised concerns in Parliament about Singaporeans seeking dental care in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, and the impact on local clinics.

In a parliamentary question directed to Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung, He inquired if the Ministry of Health (MOH) tracks data on the number of Singaporeans seeking dental treatment in Johor Bahru, the cost differences between Singapore and Johor Bahru, and if any measures are being implemented to improve the competitiveness of Singapore’s dental industry.

In a written response, Ong stated that the Ministry does not collect or track data on Singaporeans who seek dental treatment in Johor Bahru or the costs of procedures there.

However, he noted that the number of dental clinics in Singapore has increased by over 10 percent in the past five years, from 1,091 clinics in 2019 to 1,228 in 2023.

Ong highlighted that while the cost of operating a business is higher in Singapore than in Johor Bahru, the Ministry continues to focus on ensuring that dentists in Singapore are well-trained and competent. Singapore dental services, he added, are of high quality and remain affordable through various government support schemes.

The frequency of Singaporeans’ dental visits was also discussed earlier this year. In May, WP MP Gerald Giam of Aljunied GRC asked the Ministry about the proportion of Singaporeans visiting dentists regularly.

The Ministry reported that over 50 per cent of Singaporeans see a dentist at least once a year, with 60 per cent of visits made for preventive care and 40 per cent for other dental issues.

According to a report in The Straits Times in July, many Singaporeans are drawn to Johor Bahru for dental services because of the lower costs available there, especially for cosmetic and restorative treatments.

The report noted that there are more than 20 dental clinics within a six-kilometre radius of the Singapore-Johor checkpoint, with additional clinics located further within Johor Bahru’s city centre.

Treatments like teeth whitening, which may cost upwards of S$900 in Singapore, were reported to cost approximately RM1,300 (around S$370) in Johor Bahru. Similarly, scaling and polishing, which could exceed S$100 in Singapore, was said to be priced at around RM200 (roughly S$60) in Johor Bahru.

One Singapore-based patient mentioned that they save significantly by crossing the border for dental procedures. “A regular scaling could easily cost more than S$100 for one person in Singapore. In JB, that could be just RM200 plus,” the patient told The Straits Times.

Further illustrating the demand, a Johor Bahru dentist reported a steady increase in Singaporean patients over recent months. He estimated that Singaporean clients now make up approximately 60 percent of his clientele, with many patients booking appointments two weeks in advance for weekend slots. According to this dentist, the flow of patients from Singapore began increasing notably in 2022 and has since continued to rise.

The topic of Singaporeans’ dental visit frequency was also discussed earlier this year. In May, WP MP Gerald Giam of Aljunied GRC asked the Ministry about the proportion of Singaporeans visiting dentists regularly. The Ministry reported that over 50 percent of Singaporeans see a dentist at least once a year, with 60 percent of visits made for preventive care and 40 percent for other dental issues.

In June, ST also reported on the rising costs of dental care in Singapore, citing inflation and increased business expenses as key drivers. According to various clinics’ websites, basic treatments such as scaling and polishing at NTUC Health Denticare, which has 19 clinics in Singapore, rose from S$50 in 2020 to S$65.40 currently.

Similarly, Q&M Dental Group, which operates over 100 clinics in Singapore, increased prices for basic scaling from S$74.90 in 2021 to S$87.20. A spokesperson for Q&M noted that these adjustments account for inflation, higher rent, and increased manpower and materials costs.

However, the report noted that dental benefits offered to workers have not kept pace with these rising costs, prompting some employees to pay more out of pocket or to seek more affordable options in Johor Bahru.

Human resources experts highlighted that dental coverage varies significantly across employers in Singapore, with some firms offering full annual check-ups or flexible claims up to S$1,200, while others provide little to no dental coverage.

This data suggests that cost pressures and varying levels of dental coverage are influencing some Singaporeans to seek affordable dental options across the border.