“The Public Health Implications of a Shortage in Contracted Dentists”

According to Médecins du Monde, one in two people in Belgium has to give up going to the dentist regularly, mostly due to financial reasons. A report by Solidaris reveals that 43% of dentists were contracted, as opposed to the 40% who were not under an agreement. In Wallonia and Brussels, over one person out of three has to give up certain treatments due to a lack of financial means. Accessibility to dental care in Belgium is affected by various factors such as age, social group, and geographical location. Although agreements are meant to ensure access to health care, dentists in Belgium are poorly approved, and the proportion of approved dentists is declining over time. This article is reserved for subscribers.

While in Belgium, one in two people has to give up going to the dentist regularly – in particular, for financial reasons –, according to Médecins du Monde, in 2018, and according to a Solidaris report, 43% of dentists were contracted , compared to 40% not under agreement.

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By Irene Sulmont (st.)

Published on 03/19/2023 at 20:53
Reading time: 3 mins

Gbetween, age, social group, geographical accessibility… In Belgium, the criteria of inequalities are always more considerable as regards accessibility to dental care, underlined Solidaris, in a report of March 16th. If the agreement is one of the mechanisms to guarantee access to the health care system, in the country, dentists are poorly approved, and this proportion decreases over time.

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Inequalities in dental care access continue to be a major issue in Belgium, with many people having to forego regular check-ups for financial reasons. The problem is particularly acute among vulnerable groups, with accessibility issues exacerbating the situation. While a health care agreement is meant to ensure access to essential services, dentists are poorly approved in the country, with the proportion of those under an agreement in decline over time. This highlights the need for further measures to address the issue and ensure that everyone has access to the dental care they need.