They say that “every tooth in a man’s head is more valuable than a diamond.” But how can Filipinos maintain the bright smile they deserve when dental care costs as much as a diamond—and feels just as rare?
Screengrab: Callie/TikTok
For dental student Lucia Aguinaldo, who believes everyone deserves access to proper oral healthcare, providing free dental treatments and seeing her patients regain their confidence offers something far more valuable than a diamond: purpose.
“As a future dentist, I hope I can do my part in making care more accessible. If something as simple as giving someone back their smile can make them feel seen, cared for, and valued, then I think that is one of the most meaningful things we can offer through dentistry,” the 24-year-old dental clinician said.
Screengrab: Callie/TikTok
Aguinaldo, a dentistry student at the University of the East (UE) Manila, recently gained traction on TikTok after sharing the story of one of her patients, Kuya Carlos, a carpenter who had lost all his teeth.
“I still remember the day he had his last few teeth extracted, and how after the procedure, he quietly mentioned that he had always dreamed of getting dentures but couldn’t afford them,” Aguinaldo recalled, remembering their initial interaction during a free dental mission.
Screengrab: Callie/TikTok
Luckily for the carpenter, he met Aguinaldo right before she started her prosthodontics course. So she promised to take him on as her patient for a complete denture case. Months of painstaking measurements and fittings culminated in a life-changing moment.
“After receiving his dentures, he told me he was excited to show his friends his new teeth. He even said, ‘Hindi na nila ako aasaring bungal,’” Aguinaldo shared.
Screengrab: Callie/TikTok
While entering dentistry wasn’t initially her first choice, the student-dentist mentioned that meeting Kuya Carlos opened her eyes to a harsh reality: millions of Filipinos endure chronic pain and untreated dental issues simply because they cannot afford care.
Like Aguinaldo, many clinician students from UE and other universities actively seek out patients to fulfill clinical requirements. However, despite free treatments being offered, some prospective patients hesitate, fearing that student dentists will use them as “guinea pigs.”
Screengrab: Callie/TikTok
“I’ve heard stories of people being hesitant to visit student dentists because they feel like they’re being pinagpa-praktisan. But in reality, student dentists do not work alone,” Aguinaldo explained. “We are closely guided and supervised by licensed dentists who are experienced specialists in their respective fields.”
Surging through waves of need
While treatment costs remain a primary barrier, a critical shortage of licensed practitioners also leaves some rural areas severely underserved. On Burias Island in Masbate, basic dental care was virtually non-existent—until Dr. Jana Mahinay answered the call.
Screengrab: Dr. Jana/TikTok
Hoping to bring oral care to the island’s residents, Dr. Mahinay chose to establish her practice on Burias Island despite a grueling four- to five-hour commute from her hometown of Legazpi.
“I could have started my first clinic in the city, where there are already so many options, but I chose the island instead. It was a bigger risk, but I wanted to bring dental care closer to a community that truly needed it,” Mahinay said.
Screengrab: Dr. Jana/TikTok
Her viral TikTok posts showed a daily life rich in community gratitude—where patients frequently express their thanks with homegrown produce and, occasionally, live poultry.
“I took the risk of opening the first dental clinic on an isolated island, giving people access to dental care they once had to travel far for,” Mahinay wrote. “In return, I found a purpose far greater than I imagined.”
A systemic gap
The grassroots efforts of Aguinaldo and Dr. Mahinay highlight a glaring public health crisis.
Screengrab: Dr. Jana/TikTok
In February 2026, Department of Health Undersecretary Emmie Chiong admitted during an interview with PTV network that the Philippines faces a severe shortage of dental doctors.
She highlighted that the country’s current 1-to-53,000 dentist-to-patient ratio falls drastically short of the World Health Organization’s ideal standard of 1 dentist per 7,500 people, citing low compensation for public dentists as a primary driver.
Former Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa previously attributed this scarcity to the limited number of government-funded dental programs. Currently, only two public universities in the country offer a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree: the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila and West Visayas State University (WVSU) in Iloilo City.
Photo: UP Manila College of Dentistry/Facebook
Compounding the problem, state funding caps are restricting enrollment capacity at these institutions. UP Manila’s College of Dentistry accommodates only 60 new students each year, while WVSU’s College of Dental Medicine caps entry at just 40 applicants per academic year.
While private institutions offer dentistry programs, steep tuition costs—often ranging from ₱100,000 to ₱240,000 per semester—prevent many aspiring practitioners from entering the field.
Screengrab: Dr. Jana/TikTok
As high educational costs and limited slots choke the pipeline of incoming dentists, rural towns and low-income families continue to bear the burden of untreated oral disease. Yet inside bustling university clinics and remote island operatories, dedicated practitioners prove that meaningful healthcare reform often begins small—one patient, one chair, and one restored smile at a time.
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