HIGH DENTAL COSTS...sent on 15 Nov 2006

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-----Original Message-----From: Nick Pedro [mailto:nickpdr@yahoo.com.sg]
Sent: 15 November 2006 10:37

To: NEWSSubject: VOICES

To the Editor, VOICES,

Dear madam/sir

The following is my submission,

I recently went to have my tooth extracted. I need a referral from the polyclinic in order to go to the National Dental Centre Pte Ltd, for a subsidised rate. I have pay to pay S$8.00 to the poly clinic and S$72 to the Dental Centre. All in all I paid about $80 for a tooth extraction. I thought this was expensive and went to the neighbourhood Dental Clinic at Queenstown. There I have to pay $37 for diagnosing and scaling. A fraction of my income goes to just to maintain my teeth in a healthy condition.
I find this very expensive. If there is an ardent need to ensure good dental records of the populace there is a need to reduce these costs. The least would be to allow the use of CPF to defray these costs. It will be especially taxing on the lower income and retired elderly to pay these amounts in cash..
The same would be for those with long or short sightedness. In order to have the National Eye Centre to examine your eyes, it would cost a bomb. The local optical shops assessments are not up to the standard. The cost of a pair of glasses is also exorbitant. I have to go to Singapore Polytechnic Optometry for a lower cost examination. However, you have to wait for weeks for an appointment. It is still worth the wait.
These may not may be a major medical treatment however, it cost as much., preferably eyes are checked six monthly and it is still an core medical essential of our body. I urge that we need to thoroughly look into reducing such costs starting from these two above for start.


Regards