A NEW nationwide survey of oral health was expected to provide the Philippines with its most comprehensive assessment in years of tooth decay, gum disease and other oral conditions.
The National Survey on Oral Health (NSOH) Phase II, commissioned by the Department of Health’s Epidemiology Bureau, was conducted in 2025 to update the country’s evidence on oral diseases and identify the factors associated with poor dental health.
The Philippine Statistics Authority said data collection was scheduled from August 18 to October 30, 2025, with the results expected to be released on April 3, 2026. The survey was cleared by the PSA under its Statistical Survey Review and Clearance System.
The survey was designed to examine Filipinos in five World Health Organization-defined age groups: 5, 12, 15-19, 35-44 and 65-74 years old. Researchers were tasked with measuring the prevalence and severity of dental caries, periodontal disease and abnormalities of the oral soft tissues.
It also sought information on dental erosion, traumatic dental injuries, oral mucosal lesions, denture status and previous dental interventions and surgery. Behavioral and environmental factors — including tooth-brushing habits, dental-care seeking, smoking, eating habits and access to dental services — were included in the study.
The new survey is significant because the country’s previous comprehensive national data showed a substantial burden of oral disease.
The 2018 National Survey on Oral Health found dental caries affecting roughly 72 percent of Filipinos, while government health materials have reported gum disease among a large proportion of the population. Among five-year-old children, dental caries affected about 85 percent, illustrating how early the problem can begin.
The findings are important not only for dentists but also for public-health planners. Untreated dental disease can produce chronic pain, difficulty eating and speaking, tooth loss and diminished quality of life. Among children, severe dental problems can interfere with school attendance and learning.
The 2025 survey was also intended to allow Philippine results to be compared with those of other countries in the Western Pacific Region, potentially giving policymakers a clearer measure of the country’s progress.
What remains crucial is the publication of the final, validated dataset. The Department of Health told an FOI requester in October 2025 that the 2023 oral-health report was still being finalized.
Until the official 2025 results are publicly released, comparisons with the 2018 figures should be treated cautiously.
But the survey’s purpose is clear: to establish where oral disease is concentrated, which Filipinos face the greatest barriers to dental care and what preventive measures can make the biggest difference.
For a country where tooth decay remains widespread, the eventual results could become a crucial blueprint for expanding affordable preventive dental services — and moving oral health from an often-neglected concern to a core component of universal health care.
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Dr. Joseph D. Lim, Ed. D., is the former Associate Dean of the College of Dentistry, University of the East; former Dean, College of Dentistry, National University; Past President and Honorary Fellow of the Asian Oral Implant Academy; Honorary Fellow of the Japan College of Oral Implantologists; Honorary Life Member of the Thai Association of Dental Implantology; and Founding Chairman of the Philippine College of Oral Implantologists. For questions on dental health, e-mail jdlim2008@gmail.com or text 0917-8591515.
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Dr. Kenneth Lester Lim, BS-MMG, DDM, MSc-OI, graduated Doctor of Dental Medicine, University of the Philippines, College of Dentistry, Manila, 2011; Bachelor of Science in Marketing Management, De la Salle University, Manila, 2002; and Master of Science (MSc.) in Oral Implantology, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany, 2019. He is an Associate Professor; Fellow, International Congress of Oral Implantologists; and Fellow, Philippine College of Oral Implantologists. For questions on dental health, e-mail limdentalcenter@gmail.com./PN
