Don’t leave contract dentists behind after Budget 2027 doctor absorption, urges MDA

KUALA LUMPUR — The Malaysian Dental Association (MDA) has called on the federal government and the Ministry of Health (MOH) to provide contract dental officers with the same absorption opportunities as their counterparts in the medical and pharmacy fields. President Dr Chong Zhen Feng warned that trained dentists are being forced out of the public sector due to expired contracts without extension.

The MDA welcomed the government's commitment to strengthening the public healthcare workforce, as announced in Budget 2027, which includes permanent appointments for over 9,000 contract doctors. However, they urged the government to accord similar consideration to contract dental officers, whose contributions to the public healthcare system are equally important.

The association highlighted that the expiration of contracts has led to a brain drain of skilled dental practitioners, threatening the sustainability and accessibility of public oral healthcare, particularly for vulnerable groups like schoolchildren, rural communities, and lower-income families. While recognizing the differences in operational demands and staffing mechanisms across healthcare professions, the MDA emphasized the need for equity, transparent pathways, and formal recognition for all healthcare professionals.

They appealed to Putrajaya to reassess the status of affected contract dental officers, create clear avenues for permanent absorption, and develop a sustainable human-resource strategy to retain dental talent within the public healthcare infrastructure.