Aging Dental Care Spending Soars to Nearly NT$100 Billion

Taiwan: The Taiwanese Ministry of Health and Welfare has released new statistics on medical institutions in the country, revealing a decline in the number of hospitals and an increase in clinics, with dental clinics showing the largest growth. 

The medical community suggests this is due to the aging population and the growing demand for self-funded dental implants, orthodontics, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatments.

TCM Clinics On the Rise

In the past ten years, the number of TCM clinics has increased by 658, a growth of 18.7%, while dental companies have increased by 517, a growth of 7.8%. Taiwan currently has 7,134 dentists and 4,172 Chinese medicine departments.

The demand for dental care among the aging population is reflected in the growth of dental health care expenditure. Spending on dentistry has increased from NT$6.7bn (US$220m) in 2011 to NT$8.2bn (US$270m) in 2021, and spending on dentures and orthodontics has increased from NT$59.5bn (US$1.96bn) to NT$90bn (US$2.96bn).

Prosthodontic and Orthodontic Treatments in Higher Demand

Chen Yicong (pictured) Founder of the First Dental Hospital in Taiwan, noted that prosthodontics and orthodontics have experienced rapid development in recent years, driven by the needs of aging patients. Many of these treatments are not covered by health insurance.

Traditional Chinese medicine has also seen growth in specialized treatments, such as thread embedding, facial acupuncture, scalp acupuncture, small needle knife, and floating acupuncture, according to Chen Chaozong, honorary chairman of the Taipei Association of Chinese Physicians.

According to the report, the rise in spending on dental care reflects the changing landscape of the self-funded medical market in Taiwan.