Philippines plans licensing system to stop illegal dentistry

Dental Tribune International

Mon. 16. March 2026

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MANILA, Philippines: Unlicensed dental practice is widespread in the Philippines. Health authorities are set to roll out a national operating licensure system for dental clinics, restricting the delivery of oral care to registered dental facilities. The policy change is expected to be approved this month and is part of ongoing government efforts to eliminate unlicensed dental practice in the country.

Under-secretary of Health Dr Emmie Liza Chiong said in a government media briefing that the policy change is intended to align the regulation of dental care with the country’s Universal Health Care Act. Signed into law in 2019, the act supports the integration of oral health services into public health programmes.

Dr Chiong stated that once the change has been approved, only dentists who are affiliated with an accredited clinic will be permitted to practise. She explained that the policy change “will help identify legitimate and safe clinics, which will now be required to secure a licence to operate, similar to hospitals”, according to GMA News Online, which published English translations of her comments.

Efforts to curb unlicensed dental practice date back to 1903, when the US colonial administration passed a law to regulate the practice of dentistry, formalising national dental qualifications and licensure requirements. Last year, authorities arrested 89 unlicensed dental practitioners and a further four were arrested in January.

Police Brigadier General Wilson Asueta, acting director of the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group, which led the arrest operations, urged patients to avoid unlicensed practitioners. He drew particular attention to those advertising orthodontic services via social media, according to the Philippine News Agency, and encouraged the public to verify dentists’ credentials with the Philippine Dental Association.

Further efforts to stop unlicensed dental practice and improve the delivery of oral care include increasing the government’s budget for dental services, raising dentists’ salaries and reviving the Oral Health Bureau, which was absorbed into broader public health programmes. Dr Chiong said: “Our resources for oral health are very limited. Reviving the Oral Health Bureau will help us lobby for a larger budget.” According to Dr Chiong, the Philippines currently has a ratio of one dentist per 53,000 inhabitants, far below the World Health Organization’s recommended ratio of one dentist per 7,500 people.

This development in the Philippines aligns with broader international efforts to position oral health as an integral component of general health. FDI World Dental Federation has consistently advocated for universal oral health coverage that includes prevention, early intervention, treatment and rehabilitation across the life course, and this approach is echoed in the World Health Organization’s Global Strategy and Action Plan on Oral Health 2023–2030, which calls for the integration of oral health into primary care, stronger governance, sustainable financing and workforce development. In this context, the proposed licensing of dental facilities in the Philippines, together with efforts to expand budgets, strengthen the workforce and rebuild institutional capacity for oral health, represents a practical move towards embedding oral healthcare within a more regulated, accountable and equitable health system.

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Dental reform Illegal dentistry Philippines Regulations

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