President Lai Ching-te focuses on oral health, boosting dental talent training and research

President Lai Ching-te received the Chinese Dental Association at the Presidential Office today (the 14th), reiterating that oral health is the foundation of overall health and healthy aging. He pledged that the government will continue to refine dental talent cultivation and teaching research to strengthen oral care, enhance the resilience of the medical system, and gradually build a more comprehensive care network to realize the vision of a "Healthy Taiwan." President Lai pointed out that oral diseases not only affect mastication and nutrient absorption, but are also closely linked to systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Particularly in an aging society, a lack of oral health directly impacts the quality of life and self-care abilities of the elderly. In response to these challenges, the government must start from the fundamentals of physician training, clinical teaching, and research systems to ensure that future dental human resources are adequate to meet the demands brought by population aging and regional disparities.

Regarding the cultivation of dental talent, the government has progressively promoted curriculum reforms in medical schools, incorporating interdisciplinary integration of oral medicine and general health as a mandatory requirement, while encouraging universities and hospitals to jointly establish clinical internship bases to enhance students' practical operational and problem-solving abilities. In recent years, the training duration and examination system for dentists have also been continuously reviewed to ensure that the professional talents cultivated possess the latest diagnostic and treatment technologies as well as public health concepts. President Lai specifically mentioned that future resource investment in dental education and research will be increased to support academic institutions in conducting specialized research in fields such as oral disease epidemiology, preventive medicine, and geriatric oral care. It is hoped that scientific evidence will provide a basis for policymaking and enhance the protective capacity of the overall medical system.

In addition to talent cultivation, the government will also strengthen the integration of dental teaching and research, promoting cooperation platforms between medical schools, the industry, and community medical institutions. Through the joint development of novel diagnostic and treatment equipment and digital teaching resources, students will be able to familiarize themselves with the latest oral imaging, telemedicine, and artificial intelligence-assisted diagnostic technologies while still in school. This not only improves the quality of education, but also helps future dentists provide high-level oral services in primary care and remote areas, thereby narrowing the inequality of urban and rural medical resources. President Lai emphasized that the resilience of the medical system lies not only in the emergency response capabilities of large hospitals, but even more so in the completeness and flexibility of the primary care network. As primary health gatekeepers, the enhancement of dentists' professionalism and services is directly related to the foundation of public health.

At the policy level, the government has incorporated oral health into key items of the National Health Insurance, continuously expanding the coverage of preventive healthcare, such as oral examinations for children and pregnant women, and oral function assessment and rehabilitation services for the elderly. Looking ahead, President Lai stated that the insurance payment and fee structures will be further reviewed to ensure the accessibility of dental services and the reasonableness of financial burdens, while simultaneously strengthening public health advocacy to raise the public's self-management awareness of oral care. Through the tripartite efforts of policy, education, and research, it is expected that a prevention-first, treatment-second oral health ecosystem will be formed nationwide.

President Lai concluded by calling on all medical and social groups to jointly participate in building a cross-departmental health care network, so that oral health is no longer a blind spot in medical resources, but an indispensable part of national health. Through continuous dental talent cultivation, teaching research, and policy support, Taiwan will become more resilient and forward-looking in future health governance, truly fulfilling the commitment of a "Healthy Taiwan." (Source of facts: Central News Agency)