Minister of Health Vojislav Šimun, during a visit to the Nikšić General Hospital, said that they are working to return dentistry to the state's auspices, especially in schools.
"We are already adapting around 50 school clinics and I expect that they will be ready to start operating by the end of the year or in the first quarter of 2026. The plan is to announce a tender for equipment for these clinics next month," said Šimun.
This will be followed, according to him, by the employment of dentists and the return of dentistry to the framework of the state healthcare system.
"After this first step, which relates to the preschool and school levels, is implemented, it will probably be similar within the Health Center. We have the staff, the state dental faculty, and we are producing staff for the private system. This is something we want to change and in that way strengthen and standardize dentistry in Montenegro, especially for this most vulnerable part of the population," said the minister.
He expects that the misunderstandings between the Health Insurance Fund (HIF) and dental practices, which relate to financial allocations, will soon be overcome, and according to him, the signing of contracts between dental practices and the HIF is proceeding in an appropriate manner.
"I saw that there is dissatisfaction with the budget allocated for this year, although it seems to me that there is a difference of about half a million compared to the previous one, which always represents both a subject and a possibility of correction through budget rebalancing. As far as I am informed by the Health Insurance Fund, the number of dental practices applying for contracts this year is higher than ever before. The signing is taking place in an appropriate manner, so I expect that these disagreements, which are purely of a financial nature, will probably be resolved during the year," said Šimun.
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