SAUDI ARABIA – Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health (MoH) is set to commence its localization strategy in the dental service sector on Sunday, March 10, 2024.
This localization strategy implementation will be carried out by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD), in partnership with the Ministry of Health.
In an official statement, the Ministry of Health stated that it will work to implement and follow up on this decision, which will increase the degree of Saudi citizens’ labor market involvement.
It is part of a raft of measures by the Government of Saudi Arabia to create additional stimulating and productive job opportunities for male and female citizens all over the Kingdom.
The Saudi Ministry of Health is set to supervise its implementation in accordance with the requirements of the labor market and the specialization of the dental profession.
On her part, Dr. Haifa Al-Rashid, a dental consultant and owner of Haifa Al-Rashid Dental Clinics, said: “Empowering national competencies will have a great impact on covering professional exposure in this field. As everyone knows, dentistry is one of the most important fields in public health.”
Through this localization strategy, private sector establishments will benefit from a wide range of incentives and support programs provided by MHRSD to help them employ the citizens and nationals of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The government-led initiatives include supporting the recruitment process and search for suitable workers, supporting the necessary training and qualification process, along with supporting the recruitment and career continuity process.
This administrative decision is anticipated to create an environment that supports a balanced labor market, increases the participation of locals in the workforce, and improves the productivity and performance of the dental health workforce.
“It will provide a more suitable environment for national health cadres, who have studied in the best universities inside and outside the Kingdom, to provide competitive, quality services at the national and international levels,” pointed out Dr. Haifa Al-Rashid.
Additionally, the MHRSD and the Ministry of Health will prioritize private sector establishments when creating effective incentives in the dental service sector.
The Saudi government entities have advised establishments to comply and adhere to the implementation of the provisions in order to avoid the statutory penalties that will be applied against the violators.
It presents an ideal opportunity for establishments to take advantage of all Saudization support programs available in the system, besides the support and employment programs through the Human Resources Development Fund (HADAF).
Before the implementation of the long-awaited strategy, the MHRSD has issued a guide explaining the details of Saudization programs, the targeted professions, and the required percentages on the ministry’s website.
It falls within the framework of the Saudi Arabia Vision 2030 to diversify sources of income and reduce dependence on oil, with a particular focus on health and social development.
This development follows the implementation of the administrative decision to localize the optical sector in all regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which came into effect on Saturday, March 18, 2023.
The decision to localize the optical sector includes the localization of two professions by 50 percent, namely medical optometrist and spectacles technician.
Comparably, the Saudi Ministry of Health has divulged publicly available information about the decision to implement a 35% localization of the dental profession in the private sector effective from March 2024.
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