Remarks by Adjunct Professor (Dr) Raymond Chua, Chief Executive Officer, Health Sciences Authority, at the International Dental Exhibition and Meeting, on 17 April 2026
Dr Eugene Tang, President, Singapore Dental Association,
Dr Kelvin Chye, Chairperson of the International Dental Exhibition and Meeting,
Distinguished guests,
1 Good afternoon and it is my pleasure to join all of you here at IDEM – a gathering that brings together leaders, dental practitioners and innovators in dentistry from across the region and beyond. For those who are visiting here in Singapore, I hope you are enjoying your stay here.
2 Let me also begin by thanking the Singapore Dental Association for convening this important conversation— one that goes beyond science and technology, and one that goes into something more fundamental: Trust. Safety. And professional integrity.
3 Some of you may know, I wear several hats. I lead the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), a multidisciplinary scientific and regulatory agency that has three distinct professional groups, one of which is the Health Products Regulation Group. Concurrently, as the Deputy Director-General of Health (Health Regulation) at Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH), I also oversee the regulation of healthcare services.
4 Across these areas, the common thread is ensuring that we have regulations and policies in place to uphold the high standards of healthcare in Singapore. I am therefore happy to be able to be here, for us to collectively look into this topic of unlawful practice of dentistry. This topic raises areas on patient safety and professional standards within the dental community, that we all need to pay attention to.
5 I am glad to say that the dental profession in Singapore—and globally— is very strong, well-regulated, and deeply committed to safe and good patient care. That is why we are here today to tackle this thorny issue of illegal dentistry. But like all systems, there are vulnerabilities. The vulnerabilities are lying at the edges, at the margins where:
• Unlicensed individuals operate
• Social media amplifies misinformation sometimes
• And consumers are drawn to convenience, speed, and price
Singapore's Comprehensive Regulatory Framework
6 Between 2021 and 2025, MOH and HSA have both investigated about 20 cases of unlawful practices of dentistry. This means on average about four cases every year – well, this may not sound alarming, but we are watching them very closely. And each case represents:
• An individual likely harmed
• Trust eroded
• As well as a system being tested
And most importantly— these are only the cases that are reported as well as detected.
Singapore’s Approach: Multiple Lines of Defence
7 In Singapore, we have designed our system to address three fundamental questions:
• Who can provide care
• What services can be provided
• What products and devices can be used
8 We do so through multiple checkpoints. The Ministry of Health regulates healthcare through three interconnected domains that provide oversight of our healthcare system. First, we oversee and regulate registered healthcare professionals through healthcare professional registration acts. For dentistry, this would be the Dental Registration Act. This Act defines the practice of dentistry and ensures that only registered dentists with valid practicing certificates can do so. Second, we regulate licensed healthcare service providers through the Healthcare Services Act. This Act governs and licenses healthcare services including outpatient dental service. Third, through the Health Sciences Authority, we regulate health products including medicines and medical devices used in dental practice. This is through the Health Products Act. This includes dental implants, and dental restorative materials such as crowns and bridges.
9 The three interconnected-domain approach creates multiple checkpoints that help us identify and address unlawful practices. But even with multiple checkpoints, no system can be everywhere. No regulator can monitor every social media post, every informal setup, or every transaction behind closed doors. And that is why we must move beyond regulation alone.
Enforcement in Action
10 Regulations must be reinforced with strong on-ground enforcement. Similar to the multiple regulatory checkpoints, we have in place multiple detection mechanisms. We receive feedback from members of the public, as well as professionals, who report suspicious activities. We also conduct rigorous surveillance of advertising and promotional activities, particularly on social media platforms where unregistered practitioners often market their services.
11 Through these checks, we have managed to detect unregistered practitioners, and stop them before they can cause more harm to the consumers. Most of the cases over the years involved cosmetic dental procedures such as dental veneers and braces.
12 Let me share a few real examples. We have a case of a self-taught “dentist” who operated out of hotel rooms where patients were attracted by the promise of quick, aesthetic results. One patient later realised something was wrong—she could not even floss her teeth after getting the veneers from the unregistered dentist. That single moment of discomfort then triggered a report— and ultimately, resulted in us having to take enforcement action.
13 In another case, an individual purchased dental equipment online from a popular online platform and began offering veneer services from her beauty salon and home. One of her patients’ veneers fell off within days. These are not just enforcement stories. These are consumer stories. Stories that remind us that regulation detects — but consumers trigger us in the detection that results in these enforcement actions.
14 In cases like these, the customers may feedback to MOH and HSA after getting some botched dental jobs. We took action immediately, and have managed to put a stop to these illegal practices. It was helpful too that the media reported on some of them. This serves to educate the public to not turn to such people for dental work. It also hopefully serves to deter others from being inspired to run some of these illegal practices.
15 However, I want to qualify that success is not just measured by how many cases we enforce, how many rules we write, but by something more fundamental - how informed and empowered our consumers are. Because illegal providers rely on two things:
• Lack of awareness
• And delayed reporting
And so, if we can address some of these factors, we can significantly reduce harm before it even occurs.
A Simple 3C Framework: CHECK – CHOOSE – CALL OUT
16 Let me offer a simple framework— one that everyone can remember, and act on:
CHECK – CHOOSE – CALL OUT
CHECK
17 Before any dental procedure, individuals can take a minute to verify:
• Is your dentist registered?
• Is your clinic licensed?
18 In Singapore, this information is publicly available. A simple check can prevent a lifetime of complications. And yet, many consumers skip this step. Not because they do not care, but because they do not know.
CHOOSE
20 The second is we are advising consumers to choose wisely. We are seeing a growing trend, where healthcare decisions are influenced by:
• Social media
• Influencers
• And price-driven marketing
21 But we must always remind consumers that healthcare is not retail. Your teeth are not a fashion accessory. They are part of your long-term health. Cheap, fast, and convenient— should never come at the expense of safe and appropriate care. A shortcut today, it is very important to remind the consumers, may lead to irreversible damage tomorrow.
22 MOH also maintains a public watchlist (https://www.moh.gov.sg/others/health-regulation/watchlist/) on its website, where information on convicted cases is published. This transparency serves two important purposes: it acts as a deterrent to would-be offenders and helps members of the public make informed decisions when choosing their dental care providers.
CALL OUT
23 And finally— CALL OUT unsafe practices. If something does not feel right, if a service is very suspicious or if you have had undesirable outcome: Report it.
24 Early reporting allows us to:
• Intervene quickly
• Protect other patients
• And stop illegal providers before they scale
25 Let me emphasise this - every enforcement case begins with a signal, and very often—that signal comes from a patient or a professional. Hence, we encourage the public or the professionals to report suspected cases of unlawful practice through our MOH contact portal (https://www.moh.gov.sg/contact-us) or HSA website.
26 So, as you can see, in Singapore, we complement this with transparency, because we believe that transparency builds trust and trust reinforces the system.
The Role of Consumer Education
27 Again, I will reiterate that public and consumer education is important. Through our collaboration with the Singapore Dental Association and forums like this, we work to communicate professional standards, educate consumers about the risks of unlicensed dental services, and emphasise the importance of seeking care from qualified, registered dental practitioners.
Global Perspectives: A Shared Direction
28 We have heard. Singapore is not alone in this journey. Across the region and across the world, everybody is recognising that consumer empowerment is essential to safety.
• In the United Kingdom, the General Dental Council actively encourages patients to check the register before treatment.
• In Australia, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency promotes public reporting and practitioner transparency, allowing patients to make informed choices.
• In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration enables patients to report adverse events through platforms like MedWatch, strengthening surveillance through citizen participation.
29 Across these systems, one insight stands out - an informed public is not just a beneficiary of regulation, and it is an active partner in safeguarding healthcare.
Conclusion
30 In conclusion, as we look ahead, healthcare may become more decentralised and community-based, more digital, and more consumer-driven. In such a world, regulations alone cannot keep pace. But an informed public can help us in this.
31 We can expect that there will continue to be cases of unlawful practice of dentistry. Those providing such illegal services that prey on patients who may want cheap and quick solutions, it is very important that we take quick enforcement action.
32 So let us all remember this 3C framework: CHECK. CHOOSE. CALL OUT. Because safe dentistry does not begin in the clinic alone, it begins with every informed decision we make. And when regulators, professionals, and consumers all work together— trust is not just protected. It is also strengthened.
33 I hope Singapore’s experience has offered all of you some insights for further discussion. Thank you, and I wish all of you a very fruitful and meaningful IDEM.
Consumer, Healthcare professional, Industry member
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