In 2020, there were around 11.6 thousand registered dentists in Malaysia, an increase compared to the previous year but only a total of 652 public dental clinics and 1875 private dental clinics have actually been established and distributed across 127 districts. It appears there are problems dentists encounter when trying to open a dental clinic in Malaysia.

As the number of registered dentists increases annually, there is an opportunity to capitalise on the lack of supply of dental clinics by setting up your own private dental clinic.

In this article, we will discuss the steps on how to open and set up a private dental clinic in Malaysia.

1. Location Of Dental Clinic

Firstly, you need to scout for the location in Malaysia before you open your dental clinic.

 Make sure the premise for your dental clinic is either rented or a building you own. 

There are 4 different factors that need to be examined before finalising the location of your dental clinic.

The first factor is demographics.

To begin with, you can find and identify areas with individuals that perfectly fit the profile of your ideal patient using demographic data.

You should examine a few things such as median household income, average household size, and median age to analyse demographic data.

The second factor is competition.

 Identify nearby competitors, observe and acknowledge their strengths and weaknesses as well as their ability to meet their patient’s needs before trying to open your dental clinic in Malaysia. 

If your fellow competitors are unable to meet all of their patient’s requests, consequently, you can fill in the gap by providing services that are only available in your dental practice.

The third factor is real estate data which examines the potential a location has to promote good business. 

As has been noted, it determines if a location is easily accessible, is central and has enough exposure to foot traffic.

The fourth factor is density. 

The intensity of land use in an area (e.g., people per square mile or housing units per acre) can be examined using density data.

Population density (number of people per square mile), total population and population growth rate are density data that you should examine.

Now, you are one step closer to having all the tools to open your own dental clinic in Malaysia.

2. Register Your Company With SSM

Then, you need to register your company with the Companies Commission of Malaysia as is required for any individual who starts their own private practice under the Registration of Business Act 1956.

You can skip this step if you have already registered your company but if you haven’t, please be sure to follow these steps for an easy registration.

You will need to visit the nearest SSM office once for confirmation of identification.

At the present time, the fee for the registration of a company is RM1,010.

A step-by-step guide on the registration of your company is as the following:

1. Account registration on MyCoID portal.
2. Activate your account at the SSM counter.
3. Then, you will receive MyCoID portal login credentials upon account activation.
4. Company name search on the Direct Incorporation Application on MyCoID portal homepage.
5. Other information under Name Search.
6. Super Form to clarify your proposed company name.
7. Business code selection and description.
8. Directors and shareholders information.
9. Application submission.
10. Make the payment of RM1,000 as an incorporation fee (before tax) and get a transaction receipt.
11. Notice of Registration as proof of incorporation received through email.

3. Approval Of Signboard For Your Clinic From The Local City Council

Furthermore, signboards help notify potential customers in the area that a dentist is in town.

You can use the attractive eye-catching designs of the signboards to attract customers.

The local city council can provide the approval for the signboard online. For example, if your clinic is located in Gombak, then the application must be made to the Selayang Municipal Council(MPS). 

However, it is worth noting that according to the respective local authority, requirements to apply for a signboard licence may vary.

The following are some of the documents you need:

• Copy of either the rental agreement or the sale and purchase agreement of the company’s business premise.
• Copy of the location plan of the company’s business premise.
• Photographs showing the location of the company’s signboard.
• Samples of the signboard indicating its design and colours.

4. Registration Of Your Private Dental Clinic In Borang A

Before a dental clinic can be registered and start operating, your clinic has to comply with Act 586 Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 and its regulations. 

You also have to gain a certificate of registration before you can start operating a dental clinic.

You have to register your clinic using Borang A in order to get this which you can fill in online or manually.

Another key point is, in accordance with Act 586, this is the form that has to be filled out to set up a dental clinic. 

For example, you can download the Borang A from the CKAPS website or print it out to fill it in manually.

If you fill it manually, do so in capital letters with a pen that has black ink and submit it at your local JKN. The following are the instructions to fill Borang A online. 

Here are some of the details that have to be filled in Borang A:

Part A (details of dental clinic)

• Dental clinic’s name 

• The name of the dental clinic has to comply with the requirements.

1. It has to describe the services that the dental clinic provides(Klinik Pergigian Ah Soon). 
2. The dental clinic’s name must also be the same on the clinic’s signboard and on the Certificate of Registration. 
3. The name must not mislead customers or create any overclaims.

• Address of dental clinic.
• The location of dental clinics(state and city).
• Date of opening.
• Operation hours.
• Types of services provided (General Practitioner or Specialist).
• Type of dental practice (sole proprietor, partnership, body of corporations and corporations).
• Type of business dental clinic ( sole proprietor, partnership, body of corporates and corporations {private limited or public limited}).

Part B (details of applicant)

• Full name(as stated in I/C)

1. Identification number.
2. Current address.
3. Date of Birth.
4. Race.
5. Sex.
6. Citizenship.
7. Professional Qualifications.
8. Professional Registration.
9. Previous working experience.

Part C (details of partnership)

• Name of partnership.
• Registration No.
• Date of registration.
• Address of partnership.
• Details of members of partnership(it is in similar fashion as the information required in Part B).

Part D {details of person-in-charge or ‘Orang Yang Bertanggungjawab’ (OYB)}

• It is in similar fashion as the information required in Part B.

Part E (other details)

• Amount of employees based on categories.
• Details of registered dental practitioners (in similar fashion as the information required in Part B).

• Floor plan of dental clinic

1. Draw it on a scale of 1:100 (1cm=1m).
2. Furthermore, complete floor plan must include complete legends, measurements of each room and measurements of the door openings, labels of all the related rooms, locations, type of lighting, source of electricity, air conditioner, fire extinguishing tools, etc.

• Details of managed care organisations

1. Name of managed care organisations.
2. Date of sealed contract.
3. Address of  managed care organisation (state, postcode and city).
4. Email, fax and telephone number.

• Statement of finances

1. Paid-up capital.
2. Amount of loans.

• Details of payment

1. Amount of money.
2. Bank.

Another key point is all of the documents have to be certified by the Commissioner for Oaths or Grade A Management or Professional Group. The copies also have to be made into 2 copies each.

5. Submit Borang A To Unit Kawalan Amalan Perubatan Swasta (UKAPS)

If you completed Borang A online you now have to print it out. 

Conversely, if you completed Borang A manually, you have to submit it for processing and pay a processing fee of RM500 to UKAPS Jabatan Kesihatan Negeri/ Wilayah Persekutuan (JKN/WP).

UKAPS will then review your application. 

The application as previously stated includes the proposed floor plan for the dental clinic and if it is approved, it will be given a “No Objection Letter”. In short, after receiving the letter, you can proceed with the renovation of your clinic.

The renovation period usually takes about 3 months and if you need more time than that, write a letter to notify your local JKN/WP. 

However, if the floor plan is still not approved, you can make improvements and resubmit the document again to your local JKN/WP.

6. Renovation Of Your Premise

Dental Clinic Floor Plan Layout from EnviMedi consultant

The layout of your dental clinic’s floor plan has to comply with the regulations set by the Ministry of Health (MOH).

There are a few aspects of your dental clinic that are required to comply with the regulations such as the infrastructure, the documents available in the dental clinic, pharmaceutical services and a private dental clinic in KPJKS.

To find out more about this click here.

i)Infrastructure

Some requirements for the infrastructure of the dental clinic have been previously discussed such as the scale of the floor plan, complete legends, and dental clinic signboards.

Here are a few other aspects that have to be discussed:

• Environment

1. You have to make sure the location of the dental clinic is free especially from undue noise or exposure to excessive smoke etc.

• Main entrance

1. Door clear opening should be at least  ≥ 1.2m and should not swing to the corridors.

• Emergency exit

1. Generally, the emergency exit should not be in the Consultation/Treatment Room.
2. Install a ramp that is either portable or fixed.
3. Generally, the slope of the ramp should not exceed 1:12.
4. Clear opening of the stairway should be at least ≥1.1m wide (if applicable).
5. No door or openings connected to the premise other than the registered dental clinic.

• Waiting area

1. Clear opening of the patient pathway should be at least ≥1.2m.
2. Altogether, there should be adequate space for the waiting area.
3. The height of the ceiling should be >2.4m if air conditioning is installed but it should be >3.0m if no air conditioning has been installed.

• Reception counter/ Dispensary counter

1. Ensure that other public facilities shall be made easily accessible to the staff and patients such as dedicated staff entrance to dispensary/registration area without passing through the Consultation Room/Treatment Room/X-ray Room.

• Consultation room (total number)

1. Generally, the number of consultation Room(s) should be commensurate with the number of personnel.
2. Justification and purpose of each room should also be provided.
3. Doors clear opening should be at least ≥ 1.2m and should not swing into the corridors.
4. Overall, the minimum dimensions are 3.0 m and a minimum area of 11.1 m2.
5. The height of the ceiling should be >2.4m if air conditioning is installed but it should be >3.0m if no air conditioning has been installed.
6. In addition to that install film illuminators.
7. Additionally, include a treatment couch.
8. A screen for privacy of the patients should also be provided.
9. Also install examination lights.
10. Create a storage area.
11. Prepare a hand washing facility with clinical sinks.

• Pipe system

1. There should be no water trap piping system. The overflow hole shall be closed.
2. Wall surfaces should have a smooth and washable finish.
3. No double compartment sinks should be installed in the Consultation Room.

• Treatment room – if applicable (total number)

1. Generally, the number of treatment room(s) should be commensurate with the number of personnel.
2. Justification and purpose of each room should also be provided.
3. Doors clear opening should be at least ≥ 1.2m and should not swing into the corridors.
4. Overall, the minimum dimensions are 2.4 m and a minimum area of 8.0 m2.
5. The height of the ceiling should be >2.4m if air conditioning is installed but it should be >3.0m if no air conditioning has been installed.
6. In addition to that install film illuminators.
7. Additionally, include a treatment couch.
8. A screen for privacy of the patients should also be provided.
9. Also install examination lights.
10. Create a storage area.
11. Prepare a hand washing facility with clinical sinks.

• Pipe system

1. Hands-free faucet on all handwashing facilities and sinks for staff use.
2. There should be no water trap piping system. Close the overflow hole.
3. Wall surfaces should also have a smooth and washable finish.
4. Furthermore, no double compartment sinks in the treatment room.

• Minor surgery room – if applicable (total number) 

1. Door clear opening should be at least ≥ 1.2m and shall not swing into the corridors.
2. Overall, the minimum dimensions are 2.4 m and a minimum area of 8.0 m2.
3. Also a scrub sink should be provided.
4. Install liquid detergent dispensers with foot control.
5. Install operating light.
6. Create a storage area.
7. Additionally, include a treatment couch.
8. A screen for privacy of the patients should also be provided.
9. Also install film illuminators.
10. No double compartment sink in the Minor Surgery Room.

• Sterilising facilities 

1. Adequate sterilising facilities.

• Radio-imaging facilities – if applicable

1. Qualified staff.
2. Shall be simultaneously located to minimise exposure hazard to patients and staff (cannot be used as an access to other areas or connected to other rooms).
3. Create administrative facilities.
4. Create a reception area.
5. Radiographic room should be provided.
6. Dark room (if applicable) should also be provided.
7. Changing area inside the x-ray room also has to be provided.
8. Door clear opening should be at least ≥ 1.2m and shall not swing into the corridors.

• Patient’s toilet

1. Toilet doors clear opening should be at least – ≥ 0.9m.
2. The toilet doors should open outwards or sideways. It should not swing/fold inside or block the corridor.
3. Install a sitting toilet
4. Prepare hand washing facilities
5. Install a grab bar
6. Racks, mirrors, toilet paper and water sprayer should also be provided.
7. If it is not feasible, ensure that other facilities shall be made easily accessible to the staff and patients.

• Janitor’s closet

1. A hook strip for mops/dust mops.
2. Shelving for cleaning material.
3. The floor area of the janitor’s closet should also be adequate to store buckets, mop and any wet and dry vacuum machine (if any).

• Utility sink

1. Sinks in which utensils and equipment are cleaned shall also be double compartment with adequate counter space on both sides.

• Store

1. Provide a storage area for storing equipment, stretchers and wheelchairs (should not be in consultation / treatment room).

• Staff rest room or area

1. Staff rest room or area (if possible) should be provided.
2. A 24-hour clinic should have a doctor’s rest room.

• Basic emergency care services 

1. Emergency call system.
2. Oxygen.
3. Airways and manual breathing bag.
4. Intravenous therapy supplies.
5. Electrocardiogram.
6. Suction equipment. 
7. Indwelling urinary catheter. 
8. Drugs and other emergency medical equipment/ supplies.

ii) Documents available in clinic 

• Written policy

1. Written contract between practitioner and private medical clinic. 
2. Procedure of patients registration, attendance and referral.
3. Incident reporting. 
4. Infection control. 
5. Use of volunteers.
6. General maintenance. 
7. Responsibilities of registered medical practitioners relating to patient care. 
8. Transportation of laboratory specimens.
9. Fee schedule. 

• Policy statement 

1. Staff identification.
2. Billing procedures.

• Patient’s right 

1.  information concerning medical treatment and care. 
2. be informed of the grievance procedure.
3. be supplied or provided medical reports.

• Patient grievance mechanism plan.

• Organisation chart

1. specify the authority, responsibility and function of each staff member. 
2. exhibited.

iii) Pharmaceutical services

• Dispensing counter

1. Retail pharmacies are not allowed.

• Work counter with impermeable surface.

• Corrosion-resistant sink ( please state if sink is not installed because of not compounding drugs/ using pre-packaged drugs).

• Medicine storage.

• Pharmaceutical refrigerator with thermometer and freezer.

• Locked storage for narcotics, psychotropics, poisons and controlled drugs.

• Separate storage room or area for inflammable chemicals and reagents.

• Proper labelling.

• Proper storage of vaccines

1. Keep vaccines in a pharmaceutical refrigerator with a thermometer.
2. Furthermore, separate vaccines according to their types.
3. Moreover, place vaccines in a holed container.
4. Besides that, maintain a space of 1-2 cm between rows of vaccines.
5. Not keep expired or defective vaccines.
6. Vaccines should also not touch the plate at the back of the top compartment of the refrigerator.
7. No vaccine shall be stored at the lowest compartment.
8. No vaccine shall be stored at the door.
9. Refrigerators used for storage of vaccines shall only contain vaccines, ice packs and containers filled with water.
10. Record of temperature of the refrigerator monitoring.

iv) Private Dental Clinic in KPJKS

• Location

1. Easy access by outpatients. 
2. Additionally, avoid outpatient traffic in patient areas.
3. With this in mind, it should provide Convenient access to other service areas.

• Public facilities or administration

1. Adequate waiting room/area.
2. Reception area or admitting facilities.
3. Administrative office or area. 
4. Public and staff toilet. 
5. Utility room. 

• Adequate sterilising facilities.

7. Inspection Of Dental Clinic By UKAPS

After that, the date of the inspection will be provided by UKAPS after you notify them of the completion of your dental clinic’s renovation. 

All the aspects previously discussed must comply with the regulations and will be checked during the inspection. The inspection will follow this guideline. 

You can go through this guideline yourself to know and understand what will be evaluated during the inspection. After that, your application will only be sent to CKAPS in Putrajaya if all aspects comply with their requirements.

8. Evaluation of Dental Clinic Application by Cawangan Kawalan Amalan Perubatan Swasta (CKAPS)

After your application is sent, it will be evaluated thoroughly by CKAPS within 4 weeks by the processing officer. 

Then, you will be notified about the status of your application. 

Once your application is approved, a letter will be sent to you to pay a withdrawal fee. 

The fee is RM1,000 and the payment has to be made in either bank draft or money order to ‘Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia’. 

Please note that personal cheques or cash will not be accepted. 

Once you have completed the payment, you will be able to print out Borang B which will allow you to open and start operating your private dental clinic in Malaysia.

9. Launch Your Dental Clinic

Finally, you are all set to open your private dental clinic in Malaysia with your new found knowledge on how to open and setup a private dental clinic in Malaysia. To start off, here are some tips on how to attract and retain customers to come to your clinic. 

Firstly, provide your patients with personalised treatment programs to fit all their dental needs and reach out to them after their check-ups or surgeries to see how they are doing. 

The next step would be to try to reach potential patients through advertisements.

10. Licence For Advertisement

Prior to creating advertisements, you have to gain a licence for clinic advertisements. Your local council will issue this licence and this varies based on where your practice is set up.

For instance, if your dental clinic is in KL, the licence will be issued by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL). 

The process of licence approval takes 2 months. Once you have received approval for it, you can start your advertising campaign to promote your dental clinic.

11. Annual Practising Certificate

An example of an APC

Once you have started your private dental clinic, you have to amend your APC to include your new dental clinic address. You can do this at the Ministry of Health, Putrajaya. 

The APC must be renewed each year, and applications for APCs for the following year must reach the Malaysian Dental Council(MDC), no later than 1 November of the current year. The fees are as below:

a)     One principal practising address only – RM 100

b)      Two practising addresses – RM 200

c)       Three or more practising addresses – RM 300

Charges for late application of RM100 will be charged per practitioner.  Other charges with regards to APC are:

You can make the payments either manually or online.

For manual payment: Postal Order or Bank Draft made out to the “Pendaftar Pergigian”.

Both, cash and personal cheques are not accepted.

For online payment: Online payment mode will be made available soon.

Above all, dental practitioners are required to have a separate APC for each premise of practice and are required to exhibit the APC at each premise (Section 42 of the Dental Act 2018).

Here, you can find more info on the topic.

12. Staff

Generally, the success of your dental clinic depends on the presence of well-trained staff. 

But before hiring them, you have to make sure the staff’s EPF and SOCSO procedures are completed at the nearby KWSP/EPF and PERKESO offices or done online.

Here is the link for PERKESO and KWSP/EPF.

13. X-ray Machine Installation

Moreover, if you are planning to install an X-ray machine at your dental clinic, you have to obtain a Class C licence under the Atomic Energy Licensing Act (ACT 304) from the Ministry Of Health Malaysia. 

You can find out more here.

In addition, the licence fee in respect of the sale or transfer of irradiating apparatus shall be RM200.00 (Ringgit Malaysia two hundred only) per year for each licence irrespective of the number or category of apparatus to be sold or transferred. 

Subsequently, payment of the licence fee can be made payable to the Ministry of Health Malaysia in the form of a money order/postal order/crossed cheque. 

14. Procurement Of Drugs

Before procuring medications, you need to have your Annual Practising Certificate(APC). After that, you can open an account and start procuring drugs directly from pharmaceutical companies. 

With this in mind, you can place your first order of drug supply with us at Mayflax! 

With over 100 five star google reviews and over 2000 products and an exceptionally fast delivery time, you can rest assured that your ordering processes are hassle-free and you can focus on your patients and give them the quality service they deserve!

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Now, you are all set to open and setup your own private dental clinic in Malaysia.

References

1. https://medicalprac.moh.gov.my/v2/uploads/User%20Manual%20Registration%20Applicant%20Detailed.pdf
2. https://medpcs.moh.gov.my/v3_medClinics/index.php/auth/login/1
3. https://medicalprac.moh.gov.my/v2/uploads/klinik/Senarai%20Klinik%20Perubatan/Senarai%20Semak%20Pelan%20Lantai%20Perubatan%20270821.pdf
4. http://mdc.moh.gov.my/modules/mastop_publish/?tac=APC
5. https://radia.moh.gov.my/project/new/radia/FileTransfer/downloads/files/44Guidelines%20To%20Obtain%20Class%20C%20License_part%202.pdf
6. http://www.mbpj.gov.my/sites/default/files/syarat_am_dan_keperluan_dokumen_bagi_permohonan_iklan_papan_tanda_premis.pdf
7. https://medicalprac.moh.gov.my/v2/uploads/ACT%20586%20PHFS%201998(English).pdf
8. https://medicalprac.moh.gov.my/v2/uploads/09Prosedur%20Klinik%20Perubatan%20Swasta.pdf

Malaysia is among the top Asian countries with extremely high child obesity rates. Besides that, heart diseases and mental health issues are also prevalent. While some of these cases are due to genetics, most are a result of long-term neglect and poor lifestyle choices.

Read how you can utilize preventive healthcare to help patients switch from being reactive to taking proactive measures for their health and wellbeing.

1. Communication is Key in Preventive Healthcare

At the primary level, your main job is to be an educator about preventive measures such as vaccination. One practical tip to keep in mind is that the way you communicate to patients about immunity is key. Studies have shown that while anti-vax groups can influence patients, they ultimately will listen to their doctor’s advice.

Doctors must communicate their genuine belief in the benefits of vaccination even with non-verbal cues. By beginning the conversation about vaccination with a recommendation (instead of an open question), chances of acceptance will be higher. However, to understand the push-back, it may help to gather as much information as you can about their skeptical attitude.

2. Check-in on Check-ups

Since specialists tend to schedule patients for appointments happening months later, patients tend to reschedule. Some might even forget about it altogether! This is where you can play a role in making sure your patients don’t miss out on important screenings.

Sometimes patients may refuse to follow up on an issue with a specialist out of fear, embarrassment, or financial difficulties. As their physician, you can help by directing them to more affordable medical services or by clearing any misinformation. Discovering barriers to screenings and tracking their appointment updates is vital to providing the best preventive healthcare.

3. Don’t Ignore Mental Health in Preventive Healthcare

With the Coronavirus rampaging our nation and the lockdown, the public’s mental health is at an all-time low. New cases and declining finances are among the things that plague the minds of restless Malaysians under lockdown. When not managed properly, a patient could develop a serious mental disorder.

Patients often won’t know a serious issue has developed until it’s too late. It takes a sincere conversation with someone to catch the signs of internal struggles early on. While you may not be an expert, you can encourage an open dialogue by asking how they’re doing in life.

If patients show distress over issues like finances or employment termination, they may be indicators of declining mental health. You can help by directing them to a trained therapist. Always prepare to offer free alternatives to patients who cannot afford therapy.

One of the best things you can do is to increase awareness of the importance of preventive healthcare. If your schedule permits, reach out to medical schools to conduct a workshop or online seminar. In addition, you could advocate for better community resources so more people can have access to excellent preventive healthcare services.

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