Modern fillings, old rates. Doctors warn of the demise of public dentistry

Public dentistry has been operating on the brink of capacity for years, and the medical community is sounding the alarm that current system changes could lead to its further degradation. In its Position No. 93/25/P-IX, published on November 7, 2025, the Presidium of the Supreme Medical Council expresses its opposition to the lack of real financial support and the deepening crisis in access to services.

As NIL points out, the draft regulation of the Minister of Health introduces modern light-curing composite materials into the basket of guaranteed services, but at the same time does not provide for an increase in funding. This means that dental offices will be forced to use more expensive solutions without the possibility of covering the costs from reimbursement.

In the opinion of the Medical Council, this approach is not only illogical, but above all dangerous from the perspective of patients. Modern composites require specialized equipment, auxiliary materials, advanced procedures and clinical experience. Each of these elements generates additional costs, which, as NIL points out, are not reflected in current NFZ tariffs.

The local government points out that access to treatment at the highest level cannot be based on the sheer commitment and financial sacrifice of doctors. The situation is sharply commented on by Pawel Barucha, vice president of the NRL for dentistry:

"It is impossible to save public dentistry with empty declarations. The state imposes an obligation on doctors to treat at the highest level, but does not give them the tools to do so. This is not reform - it is an attempt to cover the problem at the expense of doctors and patients. Without real funding, we will see further decay of the system and dramas of people who will not be able to afford treatment. This is already happening."

The NIL also draws attention to the need to clarify regulations on general anesthesia and the rules for performing X-ray diagnostics in dentistry. The lack of consistent and unambiguous regulations, the NIL's Presidium stresses, further complicates the implementation of services and makes it difficult for doctors to safely conduct treatment in accordance with current standards.

The medical association is calling on the Health Ministry to urgently analyze the effects of the proposed changes and provide adequate funding that will allow a real, rather than declarative, increase in the quality of dental services. Without this, the doctors point out, the system will not be able to bear further burdens, and patients' access to treatment will continue to shrink.

Source: NIL