Philippines: The secret to having the healthiest teeth in the world

The Philippines, a Southeast Asian country, enjoys a high reputation worldwide, and this is not due to its rich natural resources or unique culture, but because of their oral health. Yes, the Philippines is one of the countries in the world that pays the most attention to dental health, and their dentists are well-known worldwide.

Every year, the Philippines' "medical insurance card" provides citizens with two free oral examinations and teeth cleaning services. And for those possible caries or cavities, they can also enjoy free filling and restoration treatment. This comprehensive oral care service ensures the oral health of Filipinos.

Last year, my two rotten teeth broke out at the same time, and the pain was unbearable. At the recommendation of a local friend, I came to a clinic that had done teeth for the Philippine beauty pageant. The cost of filling the teeth was only 500 pesos per tooth, which is RMB 70. During the entire filling process, I had no discomfort at all, and every step of the treatment was informed to me in advance.

In the Philippines, the professionalism and technology of dentists are not inferior to those in other countries, and even better in some aspects. The dental education standards in the Philippines are based on the American teaching model, and teaching in English is their advantage. Their degrees are recognized by most countries in the world.

In the Philippines, oral medicine is called dentistry, and it takes 6 years to study this major. These 6 years include 2 years of preparatory dentistry courses (abbreviated as pre-dental) and 4 years of orthodontic courses (abbreviated as orthodontic). The pre-dental course covers organic and inorganic chemistry, physics, botany, zoology, genetics and other knowledge. The orthodontic course mainly studies theoretical knowledge and conducts internships in the last year and a half to two years.

In the Philippines, schools that can offer oral medicine majors are all strong schools, such as the Central University of the Philippines. The oral practice classrooms of these schools are like small hospitals, open to the public, and do not charge dental patients. While practicing in school, students can also accumulate clinical experience and improve their technical level.

Compared with the situation in which domestic oral graduates still need to learn technology from their masters, Philippine graduates have accumulated 2-3 years of clinical experience before graduation. In addition, tuition fees in the Philippines are relatively low, and some schools even offer scholarships.

If you want to further your studies, you can choose to apply for the ASP program in the United States. This program will allow you to re-train for two years in the United States and obtain a DDS (Doctor of Dentistry) degree. After getting your DDS, you will also need to pass the NBDE national qualification exam to graduate. With a U.S. dental license and practice qualification, your average annual income can reach $200,000, thus entering the elite class in the United States.

In general, dental education in the Philippines has unique advantages: low tuition, excellent faculty, comprehensive curriculum, and wide international recognition. If you are interested in stomatology and hope to make a difference in your future career, dental education in the Philippines will be a very good choice.