Half close to retirement

Dentists’ Association warns: Not enough young talent!

(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

The Austrian Dental Association (ÖZAK) warned on Monday of supply bottlenecks in its field. Already now, ten percent of dental practice positions are not filled and in the coming years, half of the dentists will reach retirement age. The next generation often sees its future elsewhere. ÖZAK is now calling on the Ministry of Health and ÖGK to take action.

Criticism from the ÖZAK rained down on Monday. It warns of the loss of many dentists in the coming years. 

Studies: No reservation for residents
The situation has been made worse by the fact that, for some years now, 75 percent of places on dental degree courses have no longer been reserved for residents, as was previously the case.

Universities are now increasingly training prospective dentists from German-speaking EU countries, whose effectiveness in Austria is questionable. At the same time, young dentists prefer the elective dentist system to the health insurance contract.

"Securing dental care"
This "should give the social insurance institutions pause for thought", said ÖZAK health insurance consultant Martin Hönlinger, who criticized the fact that they are trying to "lure dentists into a currently unattractive health insurance contract system and tie them to it" by offering entry-level bonuses instead of making the health insurance contracts more attractive.

The Ministry of Health and ÖGK should now work together with the Dental Association to "secure dental care in the country in the long term", according to the ÖZAK's appeal.