The number of contracted dentists collaborating with the General Health Insurance Company also increased by 4% over the same period. While there were 6,243 of them in the Czech Republic in 2011, the number rose to 6,477 contracts in 2021. However, their number did not increase evenly across all regions. The winners were the Ústí nad Labem, Liberec, and Central Bohemian regions, while the South Bohemian and Pardubice regions were the losers.
The adjusted number of dentists, or rather the number of contracts held by dentists who have an agreement with the General Health Insurance Company, increased by 4% between 2011 and 2021. While there were 6,243 of them in the Czech Republic in 2011, the number rose to 6,477 contracts in 2021. Similarly, the absolute number of doctors who were contractual partners of the insurance company also increased during the same period by 5%. The increase in the number of contracts for dentists was not uniform across the entire country but was limited to only a few regions. The number of dentist contracts increased in only five regions, while it decreased or remained stagnant in the rest.
The winners are the Ústí nad Labem, Liberec, Central Bohemian, and South Moravian regions
Between 2011 and 2021, the number of contracts held by dentists who have an agreement with the health insurance company increased the most in these regions. In the case of the Ústí nad Labem and Liberec regions, the increase exceeds 30%. The Central Bohemian region experienced a growth of 28%, and the South Moravian region saw an increase of 16% compared to the values in 2011. These regions remain winners even when considering changes in the population of each region. In that case, the increase in capacity in the Central Bohemian region is slightly lower due to a significant population growth of 11% over the ten years. For example, the increase in the population of the capital city of Prague completely offset the increase in the number of dentist contracts, as both values were equal at 8%.
The losers are the South Bohemian and Pardubice regions
On the opposite side of the spectrum are the Karlovy Vary, Pardubice, and Moravian-Silesian regions, where the number of contracts held by dentists who have an agreement with the health insurance company decreased by more than 10% between 2011 and 2021. There was a significant decline in dentist contracts in the South Bohemian and Vysočina regions, with a decrease of 9%.
When accounting for changes in the population of each region, it becomes evident that the significant decline in the Moravian-Silesian region is mitigated by a decrease in the local population, resulting in a “mere” 7% reduction. The same applies to the Karlovy Vary region, where the final decrease in the number of contracts is 9%. The opposite situation, which highlights the decrease in the number of dentist contracts due to population growth, is experienced in the Plzeň region. In addition to a decrease in the number of dentist contracts by 5%, there was also a population increase of 3%. To a lesser extent, this applies to the South Bohemian and Pardubice regions as well.
The General Health Insurance Company of the Czech Republic (abbreviated as VZP ČR or VZP) is the largest health insurance company that provides public health insurance and is established by the state. It has a fundamental position among health insurance companies in the Czech Republic. It provides health insurance in all cases where health insurance is not provided by another health insurance company.
VZP has more than 6 million clients and is a member of the Association Internationale de la Mutualité (Association of International Non-Profit Health and Sickness Insurance Companies).
The complete results of the changes in the number of contracts for dentists with the General Health Insurance Company (VZP) between 2011 and 2021 are shown in the table below.
| The country | Change in the number of full-time dentists | Population change | Change in the number of full-time dentists, including population change |
|---|---|---|---|
| The capital city of Prague | +8 % | +8 % | 0 % |
| Central Bohemia Region | +28 % | +11 % | +17 % |
| South Bohemia region | -9 % | +1 % | -10 % |
| Pilsen Region | -5 % | +3 % | -8 % |
| Karlovy Vary Region | -13 % | -3 % | 10 % |
| Ústí nad Labem Region | +35 % | -1 % | +34 % |
| Liberec Region | +31 % | +1 % | +30 % |
| Hradec Králové Region | 0 % | -1 % | +1% |
| Pardubice Region | -12 % | +1 % | -13 % |
| Vysočina Region | -9 % | -1 % | -8 % |
| South Moravian Region | +16 % | +3 % | +13 % |
| Olomouc Region | -3 % | -1 % | -2 % |
| Moravian-Silesian Region | -11 % | -3 % | -8 % |
| Zlín Region | -3 % | -2 % | -1 % |
| Czech Republic total | +4 % | +2 % | +2 % |
Sources:
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