The Philippines Dental market is still developing. The cost of treatment is comparatively low in Philippines and the quality is quite fine but Filipinos are not too particular about dental hygiene: Ken Research

30-Nov-2022   Dr. Dorhel Quilaman, Designation: General Dentist practicing Pediatric and Special Care Dentistry, Oral Surgery, and Orthodontics, D Quilaman Dental Clinic, Baguio   Author: Smridhi Aggarwal

In conversation with Dr.Dorhel Quilaman, Dentist at D Quilaman Dental Clinic, Baguio, Philippines, we tried to understand the Dental Services Industry in Philippines. We also discussed the trends along with the future going forward.

“The Philippines Dental market is still developing. The cost of treatment is comparatively low in Philippines and the quality is quite fine but Filipinos are not too particular about dental hygiene.”

Q1. How would you like to describe the Dental Industry in the Philippines?

The Philippines has quite a few dental clinics, organized as well as unorganized spread across the country. The market is quite fragmented due to the presence of large number of dental clinics, especially in the unorganized sector.

Q2. What is the scenario of different dental services (General Dentistry, Orthodontics, Endodontics, Prosthodontics, Periodontics, Oral Surgery, Cosmetic dentistry, Paediatric Dentistry etc.) in terms of being the most opted for by patients and revenue contribution towards the Dental Services Industry?

General dentistry is one of the most opted for services in the Philippines. It includes cleaning, extractions, consultation etc. It contributes around 25% to the entire dental service industry. In fact, talking about the patient profile, around 55% of the patients visit dentists for general dentistry only. The most opted services by patients are General Dentistry, Orthodontics and Periodontics in Philippines. Orthodontics is also one of the major revenue contributors as braces are considered to be a fashion statement, especially by the teenagers. It is regarded as a fad by them. It contributes around 15% - 20% to the industry. Filipinos aren't much concerned about the appearance, so the revenue from Prosthodontics and Cosmetic dentistry comes from elite class and affluent people (or say celebrities) and not from the general population. These fields together contribute around 15% - 20% to the Dental Services Market.

Q3. How is the Paediatric Dentistry positioned in the Dental Services Market in the Philippines?

Filipinos aren’t much concerned about their children’s oral health. They aren’t too particular about it. That is why Paediatric Dentistry probably is the least opted for service in the Philippines and contributes around 2% - 3% towards the overall market revenue.

Q4. What does the revenue division from domestic people and international tourists look like?

Speaking of the revenue from the overall Dental Service Market, majority of it is contributed by Filipinos only. It is precisely because international tourists don't opt for major long-term plans/treatments here. So, the dental tourism per se is very limited in the Philippines. Around 80% - 90% of the revenue comes from domestic patients whereas the rest comes from international tourists.

Q5. What do the population of Philippines prefer, Dental Clinic or Hospital?

Patients are more comfortable going to their dental clinics which is located nearby or have their family dentists. They opt for going to hospitals only for major surgeries or when the case is too severe or during emergencies. Thus, majority of the revenue comes from dental clinics.

Q6. What does the distribution between organized and unorganized clinics look like in Philippines?

Unorganized dental clinics are more popular and more frequently opted for as well as the organized dental clinics comparatively charge more than unorganized clinics and Filipinos don't prefer spending much even if the premium pricing implies better quality.

Q7. Which are the major revenue contributing cities in the Philippines for the Dental Services Market?

Majority of the revenue comes from metropolitan hubs like Manila, Davao and Cebu because these are more developed cities comparatively and the purchasing power being comparatively high, people don't hesitate that much in spending in these metro cities. Manila contributes around 45% - 50% towards the industry revenue, followed by Davao contributing around 20% and Cebu standing at a revenue contribution of around 15%.

Q8. Could you give us an idea of the number of walk-ins per day on an average in organized and unorganized dental clinics as well as hospitals?

For organized clinics, there are around 8-12 walk-ins per day per clinic, 5-10 for unorganized whereas for hospitals, the number may vastly vary depending upon the type of Hospital and its location.

Q9. Could you provide some insights on the general trends and developments in the Philippines Dental services industry?

In the Philippines, the treatment costs are lower as compared to other countries. Filipinos are not too particular about to dental hygiene, and hence there is a need to focus more on oral health education. Here dentistry is still considered to be a luxury than basic dental health concern. Moreover, talking about trends, cosmetic dentistry and dental implants are picking up pace in the country. Orthodontics again is becoming more and more popular amongst the people of Philippines.

Q10. What do you think is the future outlook of the Philippines Dental Services Industry?

In the Philippines, though the dental service industry is growing, but at a very slow pace. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 2-4%. It is majorly because of the pandemic and the economic state as people are now preferring using their money on basic needs than spending on dental hygiene and oral care.

For more insights on the market intelligence, refer to the link below: -

Philippines Dental Services Market

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