SINGAPORE - A new dental clinic set up for seniors and those with special needs officially opened its doors on Tuesday (June 21) morning.

The Geriatric Special Care Dentistry Clinic, located at the National Dental Centre Singapore in Outram, started operations last September.

It is equipped with facilities to care for those with mobility problems, such as dental chairs that allow patients to be treated without getting out of their wheelchairs.

The centre is the first of its kind here and has seen more than 4,000 patient visits to date. Many have complex oral health conditions that are not easily dealt with at primary care clinics.

"Once the patients' oral health conditions are stabilised at the (clinic), they are referred back to their primary oral healthcare providers... to continue with the provision of routine maintenance and preventive care," said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong, who spoke at the opening ceremony.