Metric · Self-pay
Self-pay share of dental spend (%): market comparison
Out-of-pocket / non-insured share of dental spending
Dental Market Radar Editorial Team · Updated · Data as of
Across 3 of 12 markets with a value, the highest lead value for self-pay share of dental spend (%) is Malaysia at 67.1% and the lowest is Japan at 10.8%. Bases differ by market, so read the comparability rating beside each value.
Key points
- In 2021, 67.1% of dental spending in Malaysia was self-pay, according to Health Transformation Office KKMNOW dashboard. It is the highest lead value among the markets.
- In 2017, 10.8% of dental spending in Japan was self-pay, according to International Dental Journal Global Neglect of Dental Coverage in Universal Health Coverage Systems and Japan’s Broad Coverage. It is the lowest lead value among the markets.
Cite this
Dental Market Radar (dentalmarketradar.com), Self-pay share of dental spend (%) comparison, https://dentalmarketradar.com/metrics/self-pay-share-of-dental-spend-pct/
Permanent URL: https://dentalmarketradar.com/metrics/self-pay-share-of-dental-spend-pct/. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Definition
Out-of-pocket / non-insured share of dental spending Unit: percent. Category: Self-pay.
Chart
Comparison table
| Market | Lead value | Basis | As of | Comparability | Calculation | Source | State |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malaysia | 67.1% (stale) | estimate | Comparability C | Derived. Derived: 996.5107 / 1485.686 x 100 = 67.07% (2021); 2020: 902.6359 / 1362.392 = 66.3%. PVT-D = out-of-pocket + voluntary insurance + enterprise schemes, so this is an UPPER proxy for self-pay, not pure OOP. Cross-check: MNHA 2022 Table… | KKMNOW dashboard: Health Accounts (SHA 2011), using WHO Global Health Expenditure Database | Value (stale) | |
| Australia | 60.7% (stale) | other | Comparability A | Derived. Derived: 7,977.274 / 13,152.275 x 100 = 60.65 -> 60.7%. Out-of-pocket only; private health insurance is a separate scheme (HF.2). The dataset also gives HF2+HF3 (voluntary schemes + OOP) at 87.4% of dental spend (11,488.984 / 13,152.275).… | OECD Health Statistics: System of Health Accounts (DSD_SHA@DF_SHA), function HC.1.3.2 dental outpatient curative care | Value (stale) | |
| Japan | 10.8% (stale) | other | Comparability B | Global Neglect of Dental Coverage in Universal Health Coverage Systems and Japan’s Broad Coverage (Int Dent J 2020) | Value (stale) | ||
| Taiwan | Source blocked why MOHW National Health Expenditure report for 2023 exists (published Feb 2025) but the PDF link returned 404 and the dental-by-financing split was not located. Known: NHI dental outpatient global… | estimate | Comparability C | MOHW press release approving 2024 NHI global budget incl. dental outpatient budget | Not available | ||
| South Korea | No figure found why No reliable share. A peer-reviewed review (Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021, PMC8067770, fetched) states that "the coverage rate of dental health insurance was 31.9%" in a 2015 study, and that… | other | Comparability C | HIRA healthcare institution status (dental clinic counts) | Not available | ||
| Singapore | Not published why No reliable figure found. Checked: SingStat table search (Government Health Expenditure M870391 has no dental line); WHO GHED has no dental split. Why: Singapore health accounts are not published… | other | Comparability not rated | SingStat Table Builder (population M810001, GDP per capita M015121, university graduates M850511, health personnel M870011, health facilities M870291, services industries M601481) | Not available | ||
| Thailand | No figure found why No dental-specific figure found. Checked: World Bank WDI SH.XPD.OOPC.CH.ZS (all-health out-of-pocket share of current health expenditure, Thailand 2023 = 9.93% - NOT dental). Why: Thai National… | other | Comparability not rated | World Development Indicators API (Thailand) | Not available | ||
| Vietnam | No figure found why No reliable figure found. Checked: WHO GHO oral-health expenditure indicators (total and per-capita only, no financing split). Why: Viet Nam National Health Accounts do not publish a dental line on… | other | Comparability not rated | WHO Global Health Observatory OData API (oral health and health workforce indicators) | Not available | ||
| New Zealand | No figure found why No reliable figure found: no dental-by-financing split for NZ in OECD SHA. Policy fact (Health NZ): adults pay privately for most dental care, so the share is high but unmeasured. | other | Comparability C | OECD Health Statistics: System of Health Accounts (DSD_SHA@DF_SHA) | Not available | ||
| Saudi Arabia | No figure found why No reliable figure found. No national health-accounts split of dental spend by payer found. | other | Comparability C | Statistical Yearbook 2023 (bilingual Arabic/English, 1445H) | Not available | ||
| United Arab Emirates | No figure found why No reliable figure found. No national health-accounts split of dental spend by payer found. | other | Comparability C | WHO Global Health Observatory API: NHWA dentists (HWF_0011) and dental expenditure, United Arab Emirates | Not available | ||
| Qatar | No figure found why No reliable figure found. No national health-accounts split of dental spend by payer found. | other | Comparability C | Chapter VI Health Services Statistics 2025 (Arabic/English) | Not available |
The headline record leads where one is designated; its basis (for example practising or licensed) and comparability rating are shown next to every value. Per-capita values use the denominator named in the calculation (World Bank total population, same year). Money is shown in US$ at the market exchange rate with local currency beside it.
Markets with no figure
These markets have no published or reliable figure for self-pay share of dental spend (%). We state why and do not estimate.
- Taiwan: Source blocked (blocked_source), a source exists but could not be read. See the data record.
- South Korea: No figure found (gap), we searched and found nothing. See the data record.
- Singapore: Not published (not_published), the authorities do not publish it. See the data record.
- Thailand: No figure found (gap), we searched and found nothing. See the data record.
- Vietnam: No figure found (gap), we searched and found nothing. See the data record.
- New Zealand: No figure found (gap), we searched and found nothing. See the data record.
- Saudi Arabia: No figure found (gap), we searched and found nothing. See the data record.
- United Arab Emirates: No figure found (gap), we searched and found nothing. See the data record.
- Qatar: No figure found (gap), we searched and found nothing. See the data record.
Comparability notes
A: same definition as the metric. B: close to the metric definition; the difference is noted. C: different basis; use with caution when comparing.
- Taiwan: No official or peer-reviewed national figure located
- Japan: Uninsured (non-covered) treatment share of total dental clinic treatment costs
- South Korea: n/a: no figure
- Malaysia: Domestic private health expenditure (PVT-D) on HC.1.3.2 dental outpatient curative care as share of total dental outpatient curative spend
- Australia: Household out-of-pocket payments (HF.3) as a share of current expenditure on dental outpatient curative care (HC.1.3.2)
- New Zealand: Out-of-pocket share of dental spending
- Saudi Arabia: Not available
- United Arab Emirates: Not available
- Qatar: Not available
What does Self-pay share of dental spend (%) measure?
Out-of-pocket / non-insured share of dental spending Unit: percent.
Which market has the highest self-pay share of dental spend (%)?
In 2021, 67.1% of dental spending in Malaysia was self-pay, according to Health Transformation Office KKMNOW dashboard. It is the highest lead value; other markets use different bases, so compare with care.
Which markets have no figure for self-pay share of dental spend (%)?
No figure is available for Taiwan (a source exists but could not be read); South Korea (we searched and found nothing); Singapore (the authorities do not publish it); Thailand (we searched and found nothing); Vietnam (we searched and found nothing); New Zealand (we searched and found nothing); Saudi Arabia (we searched and found nothing); United Arab Emirates (we searched and found nothing); Qatar (we searched and found nothing). We do not estimate missing figures.
How many markets have data for self-pay share of dental spend (%)?
3 of 12 markets have a sourced value for self-pay share of dental spend (%).