ILOILO City – Public schools in Western Visayas are facing a critical shortage of dentists, leaving thousands of learners with limited access to essential oral health services and forcing the Department of Education (DepEd) to rely on teachers, local governments, and private partners to fill the gap.
Data from DepEd Region 6 show that only 31 school dentists currently serve the entire region, highlighting a severe manpower deficit that threatens students’ health and learning capacity as untreated dental problems continue to cause pain, infection, and school absenteeism.
The region has just 94 school-based dental clinics under the Okay sa DepEd (OKD) Beneficiary Clinic program to serve the vast student population across Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo Province, Iloilo City, and Passi City.
Clinic distribution remains uneven across the region, with Aklan having three clinics, Antique 20, Capiz 18, Guimaras eight, Iloilo Province 43, Iloilo City one, and Passi City one.
Despite this infrastructure, the shortage of dentists remains a major concern. As of March 2026, DepEd Region 6 has only 31 school dentists under its plantilla positions: one in the regional office, three in Antique, two each in Capiz and Guimaras, two in Iloilo City, 17 in Iloilo Province, one in Passi City, and three in Roxas City.
Aklan currently has no active dentist while recruitment for two positions is ongoing following the retirement and resignation of previous personnel.
Health workforce ratios further illustrate the problem.
In the DepEd system, the doctor-to-student ratio stands at roughly one doctor for every 70,500 students, while the nurse-to-student ratio is about one nurse for every 4,830 learners.
The situation for dental care is similarly strained, with approximately one dentist for every 18,000 students across the system. In some areas, however, the ratio worsens to one dentist serving as many as 46,000 learners.
DepEd Order No. 19, series of 2016, sets the standard ratio at one nurse for every 5,000 students, but the current situation places the ratio closer to one nurse for every 7,624 learners, requiring nurses to rotate across multiple schools.
Because of the lack of medical personnel, DepEd has implemented Order No. 014, series of 2020, designating teachers as “clinic teachers” tasked with managing school clinics, providing basic health assistance, and referring students needing professional treatment.
School dentists who are available carry multiple responsibilities that extend beyond routine check-ups. They provide preventive dental services, conduct oral health education sessions, assist during school activities such as sports meets, and help monitor students’ overall well-being.
However, manpower limitations and insufficient dental supplies and equipment often restrict the frequency and reach of services provided to learners.
To address these challenges, DepEd continues to implement its School Dental Health Care Program (SDHCP), which includes daily supervised tooth brushing, fluoride varnish applications, pit and fissure sealants to prevent cavities, and regular oral examinations and urgent treatments such as scaling, fillings, and tooth extractions.
Dental caries, infections, gingivitis, tooth sensitivity, and swelling remain among the most common dental problems affecting students in public schools. Left untreated, these conditions can lead to chronic pain and frequent absences from class.
DepEd-6 said partnerships with local government units, the Department of Health, non-government organizations, and private dental groups have helped augment services through mobile dental clinics, free check-ups, oral health education, and the distribution of dental hygiene kits.
Private organizations such as the Philippine Dental Association and various nongovernment organizations (NGOs) also conduct outreach programs in schools, while the Colgate “Bright Smiles, Bright Future” program supplies dental kits and educational materials.
“To address this, it is vital to strengthen partnerships with LGUs, DOH, NGOs, and private dental groups to enhance manpower and resources. Furthermore, integrating oral health education into daily school routines allows teachers and parents to reinforce preventive practices. Educating parents is essential, as oral health is not solely a school responsibility; it begins at home and significantly impacts a child’s overall well-being and capacity to learn,” DepEd-6 stated.
DepEd and its partners are also working to remove the stigma that discourages students from seeking dental care, which often stems from fear of pain, embarrassment over dental problems, or the belief that dental visits are only necessary during emergencies.
“The stigma often comes from fear of pain, embarrassment about dental problems, or misconceptions that dental visits are only for emergencies. Thus, in Region 6, the approach to breaking stigma is education plus normalization: showing students that dental care is not scary, but part of everyday health. By involving parents, peers, and community partners, DepEd ensures that learners feel supported and confident in seeking dental help,” DepEd-6 stressed.
Dr. Leonerico Barredo, chief of the Education Support Services Division of DepEd-6, emphasized that oral health is a key component of the agency’s broader student welfare program.
“Dental health services are one of the six pillars of Okay sa DepEd program. It’s about the health, the nutrition, and school-based feeding program, that is actually the mandated program of the Department of Education. We are doing it…and our way of promoting dental health awareness of our learners, our personnel,” Barredo said.
Education officials stressed that addressing the shortage of dentists and expanding dental services will require sustained collaboration among government agencies, schools, communities, and private partners to ensure that every learner receives adequate oral health care./PN
