Dentists to be deployed by DOH in rural areas

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Health will be introducing the Dentist Deployment Project to the region to bring basic dental health service to disadvantaged communities, especially in the rural areas.

The DOH-Central Visayas started opening contractual slots for 29 licensed dentists with P23,044 salary.

Hiring of dentists is still ongoing and they are to be deployed to rural areas to fill the gap between the uneven ratio of dentist to patients.

The Dentist Deployment Project has the same aim as the Doctor To The Barrio and Nurses Deployment Project, as well as the Rural Health Midwives Placement Program.

The program will initially run for a year and dentists’ contracts will be renewable after six months.

Meanwhile, as Oral Health Month is observed this February, the Cebu Dental Society urges the public to consult only licensed dentists. The group stressed that it is the patient’s right to look for the Professional Regulation Commission license certificate of their dentist.

CDS outgoing president Dr. Fe Del Rosario stressed that if patients are in doubt, they can check the PRC website for the list of licensed practitioners. — (FREEMAN)