The dental use for dental caries under the National Health Insurance system in Taiwan in 2020

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The penetration rate of National Health Insurance (NHI) of Taiwan is as high as 99.9%. This study investigated the dental use for dental caries under the NHI system of Taiwan in 2020. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The population data and medical records of the NHI system were obtained from the websites of Ministry of the Interior and the NHI Administration, respectively. The dental patient data were divided into 18 age groups to analyze the dental use indicators for dental caries under the NHI system in Taiwan in 2020. RESULTS: The dental use rate for treatment of dental caries had the highest peak (55.69%) in the 5-9-year age group under the NHI system in Taiwan in 2020. It dropped abruptly to a lower point (27.39%) in the 15-19-year age group, fluctuated and declined gradually with increasing age, and finally dropped to the lowest point of 10.10% in the greater than 85-year age group. Furthermore, the number of out-patient visits per 1000 people and the medical expenses per person for dental caries among the same 18 age groups also showed a similar trend to the dental use rate. CONCLUSION: Dental caries is still the main disease of the oral cavity in Taiwan. From a cost-effectiveness viewpoint, Taiwan government should develop a better oral health policy to decrease the incidence of dental caries and to prevent dental caries from deteriorating into diseases of the pulp and periapical tissues for all citizens, especially for young children and school children.