Don’t leave contract dentists behind after Budget 2027 doctor absorption, urges MDA

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 — The Malaysian Dental Association (MDA) has urged the federal government and the Ministry of Health (MOH) to grant contract dental officers the same absorption opportunities as medical doctors and pharmacists, warning that trained dentists are being forced out of the public sector after their contracts lapsed without extension.

In a statement today, MDA president Dr Chong Zhen Feng said the association welcomed the government’s commitment to reinforcing the public healthcare workforce, particularly the permanent appointment drive announced under Budget 2027.

While tabling the national budget in the Dewan Rakyat on Friday, Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that over 9,000 contract doctors will receive permanent posts in public healthcare facilities next year.

Anwar noted that more than 15,000 contract doctors have secured permanent employment since 2023, adding that medical graduates completing their housemanship will now transition directly into permanent medical officer positions.

The association also highlighted recent assurances by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad that the ministry is actively expediting permanent appointments for contract pharmacists.

“In this regard, MDA respectfully calls upon the Government and MOH to accord similar consideration to contract dental officers, whose contributions to the nation’s public healthcare system are equally important,” the association said.

Expired contracts and public sector brain drain

The association recalled raising the alarm on April 2 regarding the imminent contract expiry of dental officers from the 2021 cohort.

“Regrettably, these contracts have since expired without extension, and subsequent cohorts have faced similar outcomes,” it said, pointing out that this administrative impasse has triggered an exodus of skilled dental practitioners who have already completed mandatory service and accumulated valuable clinical experience.

The MDA warned that this exit threatens the sustainability and accessibility of public oral healthcare, especially for schoolchildren, rural communities, and lower-income families who rely heavily on government dental clinics.

While acknowledging that operational demands and staffing mechanisms differ across healthcare disciplines, the association stressed that all healthcare professionals deserve equitable treatment, transparent promotional pathways, and formal recognition.

The MDA appealed to Putrajaya to reassess the status of affected contract dental officers, open clear avenues for permanent absorption, and formulate a sustainable human-resource strategy to stem the loss of dental talent to the private sector or abroad.

The association argued that the substantial public investment channeled into training these professionals represents a national asset that must be retained within the public healthcare infrastructure.

“A resilient healthcare system cannot be built by strengthening one profession while overlooking another,” the association said, reiterating that oral healthcare must remain an integral pillar of national health planning.

The MDA expressed its readiness to collaborate constructively with the MOH and central agencies to formulate equitable, long-term staffing solutions.