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🇰🇷 South Korea /Economy & Trade

Only 48.5% of disabled individuals received dental care within a year; 'economic reasons' cited as major barrier

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Only 48.5% of registered disabled individuals in South Korea received dental care in the past year, significantly lower than the 85.7% rate for non-disabled individuals.
  • The primary reason cited for not receiving necessary dental treatment was economic hardship, followed by fear of dental procedures.
  • The study also revealed higher rates of current cavities among disabled individuals compared to national averages from 2019.

A recent study by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reveals a significant disparity in dental care access for disabled individuals in South Korea. The '2025 Survey on Oral Health of Persons with Disabilities' found that less than half of registered disabled individuals, specifically 48.5%, received dental treatment in the past year. This figure starkly contrasts with the 85.7% utilization rate among the non-disabled population in 2024.

The survey, which included 1,988 registered disabled individuals and was conducted between May and November last year, also highlighted that one in five disabled individuals (20.6%) needed dental treatment but did not receive it. When asked about the reasons for foregoing treatment, economic difficulties were the most common answer, cited by 46.7% of respondents. Fear of dental procedures was the second most frequent reason, mentioned by 15.8%.

Oral health among disabled individuals also appears to be a significant concern. The survey indicated higher rates of current cavities compared to national figures from 2019. Among those aged 1-9, the cavity rate was 33.7%, up from 15.7% in 2019. For individuals aged 10 and older, the rate was 31.7%, compared to 24.4% in 2019. Individuals with developmental disabilities showed the highest rate of current cavities at 51.2%.

Based on these findings, the KDCA plans to develop policies and conduct further research to improve the oral health of disabled individuals. Professor Kim Young-jae of Seoul National University College of Dentistry, who participated in the study, emphasized the need for enhanced oral health programs to establish a robust safety net for this population, stating, "The oral health of disabled individuals was found to be at a very vulnerable level compared to non-disabled individuals."

The oral health of disabled individuals was found to be at a very vulnerable level compared to non-disabled individuals.

— Kim Young-jaeProfessor at Seoul National University College of Dentistry, commenting on the study's findings.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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