17 February 2017
Not enough Singapore students are studying dentistry. This has resulted in a shortage of dentists to meet the needs of an ageing population.
As a result, more foreign and foreign-trained dentists are being recruited each year. Currently, locally trained dentists make up less than half the new dentists registered each year.
Nonetheless, the demand for dental care is projected to grow in the coming years, according to the Ministry of Health.
To cater to the growing need for dentists, the faculty of dentistry at the National University of Singapore has increased its intake from 48 in 2010 to 54 last year.
The opening of the National University Centre for Oral Health in about three years will see even more students being recruited into dentistry to meet industry needs.