SEN. Bong Go welcomed the approval of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.'s (PhilHealth) preventive oral health package.The initiative was an expansion of primary care benefits under PhilHealth's Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama program.'This is a significant breakthrough,' said Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography.'Finally, preventive oral health services will now be more accessible to Filipinos, especially those on the margins of society. This shows that when attention is paid to health, it can greatly impact the general public,' he added.The package, which would be available in 2025, includes annual routine oral care, mouth examination, teeth cleaning, fluoride varnish application, pit and fissure sealant procedure, and emergency tooth extraction.It was in line with 'Ngiting 70-20,' a government initiative aiming for Filipinos to reach the age of 70 with at least 20 permanent teeth.Go said the initiative was a step toward achieving universal health care in the Philippines, one of his advocacies.
