...Dear fellow citizens, please support our efforts to get a new dentist for our office in Ratiboř. Please email your opinion or request to dent@mzcr.cz . We need to get on the list of supported communities! Thank you.

Martin Žabčík
deputy mayor of the municipality

Press Release - Grant Program for Dentists

The Ministry of Health has prepared a subsidy program for dentists to ensure an even distribution of dental care in all regions of the Czech Republic. Since May this year, dentists can apply for a subsidy of up to CZK 1.2 million for the equipment of their dental practice.

According to the words of the Minister of Health Mgr. et Mgr. Adam Vojtěch, the aim of the programme is to motivate dentists to set up practices even in less attractive areas so that dental care is available evenly in all regions and patients do not have to travel far. The subsidy will help dentists to cover the high initial costs associated with setting up a practice, for example, the purchase of a chair, x-ray etc., which may discourage them from setting up practices in these areas.

In order to target this support precisely where it is actually needed, the Minister of Health has set up a Commission for the Availability of Dental Care in the Czech Republic, whose task is to identify areas with limited availability of dental care. The Commission is composed of representatives of health insurance companies, the Czech Dental Chamber and the Ministry of Health. At its first meeting in early April, the Commission will define the specific municipalities where the subsidies will be directed. For this purpose, the Ministry has also set up an email addressdent@mzcr.cz, where patients can send their suggestions and tips on areas where dental care is not sufficiently provided, and the commission will take them into consideration.

The Ministry of Health cooperated with the Czech Chamber of Dentistry in the preparation of the subsidy programme, which provided the Ministry with valuable experience from practice.

The subsidy will be used to cover investment costs related to the equipment of dental practices up to CZK 1.2 million. The funds are intended only for the strictly necessary costs associated with equipping the surgery. In total, the Ministry of Health has allocated over CZK 100 million for the provision of medical equipment. CZK 100 million from the state budget. The subsidy can be awarded to up to 100 applicants over four years.The announcement of the subsidy programme is planned for May 2018.

The Ministry of Health prepared this financial support because of the low attractiveness of remote areas for dentists who prefer to set up practices in larger cities. As a result, many patients struggle to find a dentist for non-emergency care close to where they live and dentists in some areas are overstretched. While there are a large number of dentists, particularly in Prague, border areas suffer from a shortage of practices. According to health insurers, the situation is worst in the Decin, Chomutov, Ceskolip and Bohumín regions. It is also very difficult to find dentists willing to treat paediatric patients. There is also little interest on the part of dentists in concluding contracts with health insurance companies. The conditions for granting subsidies are set to help solve these problems. The subsidy will help to ensure the availability of dental care in remote areas while reducing the number of patients per dentist to below 2 000.

Financial support will be awarded to
- who has concluded a contract with at least four health insurance companies with the largest representation of insured persons in the area,
- commits to providing health services in the area for five years,
- have surgery hours of at least 35 hours per week spread over 5 working days per week,
- recruit a minimum of 1 500 registered insured persons within 2 years of the grant.

In addition, preference will be given to an applicant that plans to take over a practice including registered insured patients, commits to accepting 100% of the patients that the health insurance company sends to it, and accepts pediatric patients.

Further details of the subsidy programme, including the exact date of its announcement, will be published on thewebsite of the Ministry of Health

Source.
Published: 20 February 2018