GEORGE TOWN, April 22 — Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow has called on the Health Ministry to improve access to dental and oral healthcare in rural areas by strengthening services through Klinik Kesihatan and Klinik Desa. Speaking at the 10th International College of Dentists Section XV and World Stomatology Institute (WSI) International Conference, Chow noted an uneven distribution of dentists, with rural communities often lacking sufficient care despite Malaysia producing over 1,000 dental graduates annually.
Chow emphasized that the issue lies not in manpower but in structural inefficiencies, citing the imbalance in healthcare resource allocation. He urged the federal government to rebalance its STEM focus, advocating for greater support and investment in healthcare sciences like dentistry and medicine, particularly to retain local talent and build a more inclusive, resilient healthcare system.
