Who Is Eligible for Free Dental Services in Kazakhstan?

The Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan, in response to an official inquiry from the Kazinform news agency, has released statistics on children’s dental health, QR News reports.

According to the data, 78% of 12-year-old children in the country have been diagnosed with dental caries. This means that roughly seven out of ten children experience dental problems.

To prevent dental diseases from an early age, the Ministry has approved a special roadmap. In September 2024, the project “Into the Future with Healthy Teeth” was launched and is scheduled to run through 2028. Under the program, dental offices are expected to open in schools with more than 1,000 students.

The Ministry reported that funding mechanisms were developed in 2024. In 2025, authorities planned to open 195 dental offices; however, only 125 were launched. The remaining 70 were postponed until this year due to budget constraints. In total, 325 offices are planned to open in 2026. Funding issues are currently being addressed in cooperation with local administrations.

Industry specialists note that dental services for children under the age of 18 are provided free of charge. At present, school dental offices are focused primarily on delivering first aid. In cases of complications, students are referred to local polyclinics for further treatment. The Ministry also plans to ensure the supply of necessary medications so that students can receive full dental treatment directly at school in the future.