Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO._____ 
Introduced by Representative MARLYN L. PRIMICIAS-AGABAS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Available data from the Department of Health (DOH) show that around 87 percent of 
Filipinos have oral health problems such as tooth decay and gum diseases. While 
most believe that these are not serious health problems, there are studies that show 
that poor oral hygiene could lead to more serious health problems like diabetes, heart 
disease, and stroke. 
A big reason for the poor dental health of most Filipinos is lack of access to dental 
health information and dentists.  
The Department of Health launched a Dental Health Program with the mission to 
ensure quality, affordable, accessible and available oral health care delivery with the 
end goal of attaining an improved quality of life through promotion of oral health and 
quality oral health care. 
To be able to reach their goal, one big factor is to encourage more and more Filipinos 
to enter the dental profession and more specifically to render public dental services in 
government hospitals and clinics. We should also improve the country’s dentist to 
patient ratio which is now at around 1:53,000. According to the World Health 
Organization the dentist to patient ratio should be 1:7,500. 
Hence, this bill which seeks to upgrade the salary grades of all public dentists in 
government service which will make the salaries in public practice comparable to 
private practice. 
September 22, 2022
11:30 am
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In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this measure is earnestly requested. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MARLYN L. PRIMICIAS-AGABAS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.______ 
Introduced by Representative MARLYN L. PRIMICIAS-AGABAS 
AN ACT 
TO UPGRADE THE SALARY SCALES OR LEVELS OF PUBLIC DENTISTS, 
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Public Dentist 
Salary Standardization Act of2022.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — Article Il, Section 15 of the 1987 
Constitution provides that “[the State shall protect and promote the right to health of 
the people and instill health consciousness among them.” Under Section 2 of Republic 
Act 7305 or the Magna Carta of Public Health Workers, it is the declared policy of the 
State to “instill health consciousness among our people to effectively carry out the 
health programs and projects to the government essential for the growth and health of 
the nation.”1 2 Towards this end, the Magna Carta of Public Health Workers aims to, 
among others, “promote and improve the social and economic well-being of the health 
workers, their living and working conditions and terms of employment.” 
Pursuant to these, it is hereby declared the policy of the State to recognize the 
important role played by government dentists in maintaining and promoting the oral 
1
Section 2, Republic Act 7305, Magna Carta of Public Health Workers, 26 March 1992. 
2 Id. 
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health of the people. Thus, the government must ensure that these government 
dentists are properly compensated and their working and living conditions 
continuously improved. 
SECTION 3. Coverage. — This Act shall cover all dentists, regardless of 
employment status, in all public health institutions, whether nationally or locally funded, 
as well as those assigned in or working for national government agencies (NGAs) 
including state universities and colleges (SUCs), government owned and controlled 
corporations (GOCCs) and local government units (LGUs). 
SECTION 4. Upgraded Salary Scales or Levels. — The following salary scales 
or levels of Dentist position in the government are hereby upgraded upon the effectivity 
of this Act: 
 
SECTION 5. Appropriation. — The Government shall appropriate such amount 
as may be necessary to carry out the objectives of this Act. Initial funds required for 
the implementation of this Act shall be sourced from the savings of the Executive 
Branch of the government and other possible sources that may be determined by the 
Office of the President. The subsequent funds needed shall be included in the General 
Appropriations Act for the year following the implementation of this Act. 
SECTION 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within sixty (60) days 
Position Title 
Old Salary Grade 
New Salary Grade 
Dentist I 
13 
17 
Dentist II 
16 
20 
Dentist III 
19 
23 
Dentist IV 
22 
25 
Dentist V 
24 
27 
Dentist VI 
26 
29 
Dentist VII 
28 
30 
 


from the promulgation of this Act, the necessary rules and regulations for the proper 
implementation of its provisions shall be formulated by the appropriate government 
office or agency in coordination with all the stakeholders and covered establishments 
and institutions. 
SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. — All laws, executive orders, administrative 
orders, rules, regulations, decrees, and other issuances or parts thereof, which are 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby revoked, repealed, or modified 
accordingly. 
SECTION 8. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is held 
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not affected thereby shall continue in 
operation and remain in full force and effect. 
SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in the two (2) national newspapers of 
general circulation. 
Approved.