Oral health is often separated from general health in policy discussions, yet the two are deeply connected. Conditions like dental caries, periodontal disease, and oral infections can affect nutrition, speech, confidence, and even systemic health. In India, most dental treatments are paid out-of-pocket, making preventive and restorative care unaffordable for many families.
According to the World Health Organization, oral diseases are among the most common non-communicable diseases worldwide. In India, the burden is significant, but dental insurance coverage remains limited and is usually excluded from standard health insurance packages. As a result, patients often delay treatment until pain or complications arise, leading to higher long-term costs and poorer outcomes.
Making dental insurance mandatory could improve access to preventive care, encourage regular check-ups, and reduce the financial strain of emergency procedures. It may also promote early diagnosis of oral cancer, which has a high prevalence in India due to tobacco use.
However, mandatory insurance raises concerns. Would premiums increase? Would insurers limit coverage to basic procedures only? Could it place an additional financial burden on low-income populations?
The larger question remains: should oral health be treated as an essential component of universal healthcare in India, or continue to be considered optional?
Great topic! In India, dental visits are often seen as ‘reactive’—we only go when there is pain. Mandatory insurance could shift the culture toward prevention. It’s much cheaper (and less painful) to cover a routine check-up than a complex root canal or systemic infection later. The hurdle will be the premium costs for middle-income families, but the long-term savings on public health would be massive.
Very important point! Oral health is inseparable from overall health, yet it’s often overlooked in policy. Mandatory dental insurance could make preventive care accessible and reduce costly emergencies. The challenge will be balancing affordability with comprehensive coverage, but treating oral health as essential healthcare feels like the right direction for India.
Such an important topic. Leave the society I have seen this in my home itself—that only happens when my parents are getting some kind of pain in their teeth , an then only do they visit the dental care. Before that, they usually take some kind of pills to ensure they don’t have cavities and treat themselves. Only after the issue becomes serious do they go to the doctor. So I think this is an important topic: insurance care should cover dental care so that our parents and society can go for regular dental checkups.
Health insurance should cover dental treatments as well. Even if only basic procedures are included it would encourage regular checkups and most issues can be managed before complications set in.
Oral health is one of the major health problems that no one takes seriously in India. Sometimes oral health problems can lead to major health complications.
Whether medical insurance in India should be mandatory is a big debate itself, because before taking this into consideration, we have to think about many issues like average salary levels and the volume of population in India. There should be some fixed and affordable value for minimum medical insurance installments.
In many countries, medical insurance is mandatory, but they have smaller populations and a larger number of health facilities than India. They have also mostly shifted to digital documentation, while in India we are still largely dependent on paper documentation.
This article brings up an important debate - making dental insurance mandatory in India could improve access to care and reduce financial barriers for patients. It’s a thoughtful look at how policy and insurance might shape oral health outcomes in the country.
Integrating oral health into universal care would promote prevention, early intervention, and equitable access, ultimately improving overall public health outcomes.
The medical fraternity, particularly the IMA, should actively engage with the Union Government to advocate policy reforms through IRDAI to introduce affordable, mandatory dental insurance—even if offered as a separate cover. Notably, even in countries like the USA and Canada, dental care is often excluded from standard health insurance policies, highlighting the global gap in oral health coverage. UK has included Dental Care in insurance cover partially.
Oral health should be a part of universal healthcare. However, dental insurance alone cannot motivate patients for preventive treatment. Oral health awareness is equally important. Oral health awareness is lacking in our country. It is essential to educate patients and explain the importance of preventive treatment.
Dental insurance has the potential to transform oral healthcare in India—but only if implemented properly. Right now, limited awareness and poor coverage of dental treatments make access difficult for many people
Yes dental insurance should be made mandatory.It will be easy to do early intervention treatments which can avoid complications later.Many treatments like root canals and implants are expensive,so insurance round help the people to cover these expenses.
