North Chungcheong Province announced on the 14th that it has designated Cheongju Medical Center as a "Regional Center for Disabled Oral Health Care" (October 12, 2026) to enable people with mild disabilities to receive comfortable dental care near their residences, and will enter a one-year pilot operation until September 2027.

According to statistics from the National Rehabilitation Center, the oral examination rate for people with disabilities is only 18.4%, and among those who received examinations, 43.8% were found to be in "a state requiring immediate dental treatment."

Currently, North Chungcheong Province provides dental care for both severe and mild disabilities through Hankook Hospital (Regional Center). However, as demand concentrates on the central and regional centers, the average waiting time for treatment reaches 175 days for the central center and 134 days for regional centers, highlighting a pressing need for improvement.

In response, North Chungcheong Province plans to improve treatment accessibility for people with mild disabilities and disperse the treatment demand from central and regional centers through Cheongju Medical Center, a public health and medical institution.

The target audience for treatment includes people with disabilities who are capable of behavioral control and can receive general treatment without general anesthesia or sedation. Services provided will include oral examinations, preventive care such as fluoride application and scaling, general dental treatments including cavity treatment, and oral rehabilitation.

Nagi-hyo, Head of the Health Policy Division of North Chungcheong Province, stated, "We will support people with disabilities so they can receive necessary examinations and treatments in a timely manner close to home," adding, "We will gradually expand regional centers throughout the province in cooperation with regional centers and public health centers."

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