Concepts and Laws for Developing Dental Services in State Health Security Schemes

Abstract

This qualitative study aimed to examine the concepts and historical development of laws and regulations related to dental service benefit packages of three Thai state health security schemes; to study three international case studies; and to develop policy recommendations for improving dental service benefits across the three security schemes to achieve equal benefits, access, and quality. This research employed qualitative methodology, specifically document research and literature review. The findings revealed that dental services across the three health security schemes differ due to varying concepts and principles. The Social Security Act had transcribed lower dental service benefit packages compared to other health security systems, resulting in access problems to basic dental services for the insured. The National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRC) ruled that the determination of dental service benefits for the insured pertained to the Social Security Act constituted an act or an omission that violated human rights of the insured. The study of healthcare services in three countries - the United Kingdom, Japan, and Malaysia - concluded that all countries are providing basic dental services for all population subgroups under their state health security systems. Therefore, policy recommendation for Thailand is to develop a unified and equitable oral health service system by adapting successful approaches from the three countries. Government agencies and relevant organizations should amend laws and regulations to promote universal access to basic dental services by expanding the scope of basic services including funding to participating private clinics, in order to achieve the goal of 80 percent of insured populations access to basic dental services according to the 'Bangkok Declaration on Oral Health’.