PhilHealth extends its Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) to provide preventive dental services, which enable Filipinos to maintain their health at a lower cost. The move highlights a growing recognition that oral health plays a critical role in preventing more serious and costly medical conditions.
PhilHealth plans to implement dental care through primary healthcare facilities, which will help people understand that dental treatment should start with preventive measures instead of treating dental emergencies. People need to maintain dental hygiene because poor oral health leads to infections and cardiovascular disease, and other systemic illnesses which require dental care for their lifelong health.
PhilHealth members can receive dental services during their regular dental check-ups, which now include all dental services according to the new YAKAP guidelines.
The benefit package provides up to P600 annually for preventive oral care and P200 per tooth for sealants, and members can enjoy one dental cleaning and two fillings per year.
There are currently 129 dental clinics in Metro Manila and Rizal that have received accreditation from PhilHealth to operate their dental services.
Patients whose YAKAP clinics lack dental services will be referred to partner facilities, which provide support to complete PhilHealth requirements for their continuous treatment.
