TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) addressed concerns on Friday (June 21) regarding the allocation of funds for the second phase of its rural medical improvement plan. The ministry emphasized that the NT$2.4 billion budget is intended for foreign-educated dental graduates and local dental graduates.
The clarification comes amid criticism from the Taiwan General Dental Practitioners Association (台灣基層牙醫師協會), which marked the one-month anniversary of President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) inauguration by voicing worries that the initiative might divert resources from local dental students.
The association criticized the plan for its provision to train foreign-educated dental graduates, noting that the promised primary service locations are not in rural areas. They also pointed out that the plan would create 428 positions over three years, in addition to the annual 50 promised by former Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), potentially introducing nearly 600 foreign-educated dentists to Taiwan within that period.
In response, Deputy Director of the MOHW Department of Oral Health, Yen Chung-han (顏忠漢), clarified that the budget covers training costs, subsidies for experienced dentists relocating to rural areas, and upgrades to dental equipment in rural hospitals.
He confirmed that all service areas are indeed in rural regions, including Taitung Hospital Chenggong Branch and Hualien Hospital Fengbin Aboriginal Branch, and reassured that the plan prioritizes local students, although foreign-trained dentists are also included based on the medical needs of those areas.
