Seoul's 3 specialized dental clinics for people with disabilities treated over 40,000 patients in 2 years

The three specialized dental clinics for people with disabilities operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government have treated more than 40,000 patients over the past two years. The city plans to expand its dental care network so that people with disabilities can receive checkups and preventive care at nearby clinics and, when needed, access general anesthesia and advanced treatments at specialized facilities.

The Seoul Metropolitan Dental Hospital for the Disabled in Seongdong-gu treated a total of 30,118 patients from last year through September this year, according to the city. The city opened the hospital in Seongdong-gu in 2005 — the first of its kind in the country.

Seoul National University Dental Hospital operates it under contract, providing not only general dental care but also specialized treatment requiring general anesthesia, health education, preventive programs and public social services, the city said.

This year alone, 11,929 patients received treatment there, including 750 from outside Seoul, reflecting broad regional demand for specialized dental care for people with disabilities.

In March, the city opened an additional facility — the Seoul Metropolitan Western Dental Hospital for the Disabled in Gangseo-gu — extending specialized care to the western part of the city. About 1,400 patients had visited the hospital through last month.

People with severe disabilities who require general anesthesia or have complex and rare conditions are served by the Seoul Regional Oral Health Care Center for the Disabled, located within Yonsei University Dental Hospital in Seodaemun-gu. The center opened in June last year and had treated a total of 10,523 patients through last month.

Beyond the three specialized clinics, the city also operates a network of "disability-friendly dental clinics" to give people with disabilities convenient access to care close to home.

The program launched in September last year through the voluntary participation of local dental practices and now designates 69 clinics across Seoul, the city said. Information on the locations of disability-friendly dental clinics is available through the Smart Seoul Map urban lifestyle map.

The city runs a tiered care system spanning preventive checkups at disability-friendly neighborhood clinics through to advanced procedures at specialized hospitals, and plans to continue expanding this infrastructure.

To that end, the city has allocated about 7.8 billion won ($5.82 million) this year for oral health care for people with disabilities, strengthening a care continuum that runs from neighborhood dental checkups and preventive services to general anesthesia and complex treatments at specialized institutions.

"People with disabilities face real barriers to professional oral health care due to mobility constraints and the limitations of standard clinical environments," said Jo Yeong-chang, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Public Health Bureau. "We will continue to expand the medical infrastructure so that they can receive safe, high-quality oral health services."