Malaysia has always been regarded as a tourist haven, with world-renowned beaches, gorgeous sights, internationally acclaimed heritage sites, thriving cosmopolitan cities and diverse, colourful cultures encapsulated within a sunny, tropical climate. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that recent years have seen the country rising to become the preferred destination for medical tourists as well.
International Living has ranked Malaysia as the best country for healthcare in its 2015 Global Retirement Index. The country was also a prominent winner at the International Medical Travel Journal (IMTJ) 2015 Medical Travel Awards recently, which reinforced its position as a medical tourist haven. In addition to garnering the coveted “Medical Travel Destination of the Year” title, the nation also saw several of its hospitals sweeping numerous awards.
Among them was the Imperial Dental Specialist Centre, which walked away with the “International Dental Clinic of the Year” award for the second consecutive year. While Malaysia is already well known for its expertise in fields like cardiology, neurology and orthopaedics, this win has further solidified its increasing profile as a popular destination of choice when it comes to dental services.
Dentalpro Dental Specialist Centre (Dentalpro) is another example of a specialist centre which has been providing comprehensive dental services since 2003. The Centre offers a range of treatments from general, restorative and cosmetic dentistry to root canal therapy and other specialised procedures such as implants, oral and gum surgery. As part of its commitment to providing patients nothing but the best, Dentalpro also offers transportation services to foreign patients, as well as internet consultation.
With the Dental Act 1971 in place, patients can rest assured that the treatments they receive are safe and closely regulated by the Malaysian Ministry of Health, with the support of the Malaysian Dental Council (MDC), which also acts as the governing and regulating body, and the Malaysian Dental Therapists’ Committee.
Under the leadership of the Director-General of Health Malaysia, the MDC plays several integral roles in ensuring that dental clinics in the country are held to the highest standards. Its functions include exercising disciplinary jurisdiction over registered practitioners, upholding and maintaining professional standards and ethics in dentistry practices, and registering dental practitioners in the country, among others. MDC also acts as a regulatory body in ensuring that all dental clinics adhere strictly to safety and cleanliness procedures to eliminate the possibility of cross-infections.1
In making sure that patients receive the best service, MDC has put in place a ruling where all dental practitioners must have their Practising Certificate renewed annually. Additionally, dental clinics must undergo inspections by the MOH officials before getting the official stamp of approval for its license renewal. All these ensure that dental clinics and tools are sterile, and safe to be used on patients. What’s more, with a pool of dental health practitioners trained from some of the best institutions both within the country and overseas, patients should have no doubt that they are in good hands.
1Sourced from http://mdc.moh.gov.my/
