2023-11-08 11:24:10
Going to the dentist is probably one of the activities that is most postponed, due to fear and other factors. However, the poor attendance of Spaniards is also due to the problems of dental health care in Spain within the public health system.
Many news portals have highlighted the major problems that various sectors of Spain have in accessing quality dental health services. This is due, among other reasons, to the fact that there are no plans to Health insurance accessible to some Spaniards.
Although there are dental health services such as Dr Smile Although it has some options and attention from professional dentists, there is a low level of attendance at their offices.
The WHO on Spanish dental health
According to a statement recently issued by the World Health Organization, the scope of dental health care in Spain is quite limited.
This statement has put on the table the conversation about the action of the Spanish National Health System with respect to its public policies for dental health in the country.
Although the WHO recognizes the work that the country has done to cover the needs of Spaniards in terms of dental care, there is a great gap between access to this service by various sectors of the country.
With this, it has been shown that the cost of this service in private health systems is quite expensive, so the less favored sectors of the country do not have access to quality care due to lack of resources.
From the report, it was also evident that it is the private health sector that functions more optimally, however, the percentage of patients who attend dentists’ offices decreased considerably during 2022 and the trend continues during 2023.
This means that although the privatized health sector does its best to care for the dental health of Spaniards, it is the economic factor that does not allow this to be carried out successfully.
The cost of investment by dental health professionals in Spain is quite high, so it must be reflected in the cost of their services.
Limited health coverage within public healthcare
Taking the above into account, the WHO proposes that Spain improve its public health policies, with the purpose of improving care in the area of dental health for the least favored sectors of the country.
They have pointed out that many people turn to private dental consultations, due to the little public coverage of this sector in the country.
Furthermore, they have highlighted that if they receive dental care in public entities, the services are very limited, to specific cases of care due to infection or extraction.
This leaves out preventive treatments, more complex surgeries, orthodontic processes, and even care in pediatric dentistry cases.
Prioritize dental health care for those most in need
In addition to investing resources in this sector, it is necessary to segment the type of patient to be treated based on the priority of various sectors of the population.
These sectors include the elderly, disabled people, pregnant women and children, who require immediate attention in view of their condition.
Conclusion
Although the report recognizes the work in dental care at the private level, the WHO calls for the activation of dental health care strategies at the public level, so that people with fewer resources have greater access to this service.
In addition, it is important to open more physical spaces to meet demand and also create awareness campaigns, which can inspire people to give priority to their dental health, and restore confidence in the Spanish public health system.
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