Ten Years of Thailand’s Universal Coverage Experience: Strategies to Prevent Tooth Loss and Denture Service Access among Pre-elderly and Elderly
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to compare the need for and access to prosthetic services, and to analyze the trends in delivering preventive interventions among the pre-elderly and elderly in Thailand.
Material and Methods: The population in this study was the pre-elderly (aged 40-59 years) and the elderly (aged 60 years and above) in Thailand. Dental service delivery for these populations focused on dentures and prosthetic needs. Primary preventive interventions included oral examination, toothbrushing, and fluoride application. Secondary data analysis was conducted.
The time frame was 10 years, from 2014 to 2024.
Results: Between 2014 and 2024, partial denture (PD) coverage remained very low among the pre-elderly (<0.3%), despite stable need estimates of 13–14%, whereas complete denture (CD) need was negligible, although services were still provided. Among the elderly, PD need was high (43–45%), but coverage stayed below 0.6%, while CD need (2.7–3.4%) contrasted with service delivery, which peaked at over 60,000 cases in 2023 before declining in 2024. Preventive services showed marked expansion in oral examinations and assisted toothbrushing across both groups, while fluoride application remained persistently limited.
Conclusion: The findings highlight substantial unmet prosthetic and preventive dental needs, particularly among the pre-elderly.
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