Oral health care in crisis – time for a government commissioner

More and more Dutch people are struggling to access affordable and accessible dental care. The shortage of dentists, long wait times, and high costs lead to untreated complaints. This affects not only our health but also our chances at school and in the workplace.

We are concerned that new government policies will take too long to be implemented while oral care has entered an alarm phase.

The connection between oral care, poverty reduction, and prevention in education requires coordination that transcends departmental boundaries. We at Ivoren Kruis therefore advocate for the appointment of a Government Commissioner for Oral Care. This commissioner can combine authority and expertise, act independently and decisively, structurally connect stakeholders, and work on concrete improvements such as shorter waiting times, increased prevention efforts for children, and reducing health disparities.

Just as a Delta Commissioner protects us from water, a Government Commissioner for Oral Care can protect us from the creeping crisis of deteriorating oral health.

Click here to read the full memo (pdf)