Songpa-gu and the Dental Association Have Provided Free Dental Treatment to 11,780 Low-Income Disabled Individuals Since 2010
Expanded to Prosthetic Treatments Such as Dentures and Crowns in July Last Year... 42 Cases Worth 31 Million Won Performed
Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok) announced that through the ‘Free Prosthetic Treatment for Disabled Persons’ project, which was expanded in July last year, a total of approximately 31 million KRW worth of prosthetic treatments were provided to low-income disabled residents in the area.
The district has been offering free dental care for disabled persons for 15 years since 2010. This project supports those who might miss the golden treatment period due to financial difficulties, with Songpa-gu providing assistance and the Songpa-gu Dental Association donating their expertise. So far, 11,780 disabled individuals have benefited from medical services without any cost burden.
In particular, in July last year, the scope of dental treatment was significantly expanded from only gum, cavity, and nerve treatments to include expensive prosthetic treatments such as dentures, bridges, and crowns.
A district official explained the background, saying, “Although prosthetic treatments are partially supported at city-designated hospitals, mobility is difficult and financial support for treatment costs is limited, which placed a heavy burden on low-income disabled persons. We expanded the project scope at the district level to improve medical accessibility for disabled persons and to provide broader support including prosthetic treatments.”
After the project expansion, the Songpa-gu Health Branch Office (5 Yangsan-ro) performed a total of 42 various prosthetic treatments, including 9 denture cases and 28 crown cases. Although these are high-cost procedures worth about 31 million KRW, thanks to the volunteer work of local private practitioners, only the cost of materials such as laboratory fees was incurred without additional labor costs.
The free prosthetic treatment is available to disabled persons registered as medical beneficiaries residing in Songpa-gu. Candidates are selected after examination and evaluation by the volunteer team of the Songpa-gu Dental Association. For more detailed information regarding support, inquiries can be made to the Oral Health Office at the district health branch or checked on the official website of the Songpa-gu Health Center.
Along with the project expansion, the district is providing multifaceted support for disabled persons’ medical welfare, including the acquisition of mobile X-ray equipment for disabled persons with mobility difficulties at the health branch office, and plans to continue the prosthetic treatment project next year as well.
Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, stated, “It is a reality that disabled persons with financial difficulties find it hard to receive timely treatment even when suffering from oral diseases. The district will take the lead in guaranteeing the health rights of medically vulnerable groups and provide meticulous support to prevent difficulties from worsening due to additional diseases.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
