Bulk procurement programs cut dental implant costs, boost market demand

China's bulk-buy program for dental implants and related medical consumables has significantly reduced patients' costs while boosting the market, healthcare security authorities said on Monday.

Since 2022, healthcare security administrations in Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces, along with those in other regions, have launched bulk procurement programs for dental implants and various types of orthodontic brackets under the guidance of the National Healthcare Security Administration.

The initiative, coupled with pricing regulation measures, aims to address widespread concerns about irregularities in China's rapidly growing dental implant industry amid an aging society, including excessive charges, false advertising and the use of kickbacks to attract prospective patients.

According to data released at an event in Ziyang, Sichuan province, the average price of a single dental implant has fallen from 15,000 yuan ($2,237) to between 6,000 and 7,000 yuan ($890 and $1,040).

Public medical institutions nationwide procured a total of 3.47 million sets of dental implant systems over the past three years.

The number of dental implant surgeries also jumped from 214,000 in 2022 to 892,000 in 2025, reflecting strong market demand and growing public healthcare needs.

Meanwhile, centralized procurement of orthodontic brackets resulted in purchases of 338,000 units, or 118 percent of the target, driving a steady increase in orthodontic visits and continued growth in demand for related consumables.

Healthcare security authorities said the administrations in Sichuan and Shaanxi will soon lead the renewal of procurement contracts for dental implants and orthodontic brackets.

Li Dewei, director of the Sichuan healthcare security administration, said efforts will be made to expand the range of products covered by procurement, with a focus on innovative products that have been clinically recognized.

The new procurement program will also improve bidding strategies, contract rules and supporting services, he said.

Data showed that the number of enterprises participating in the renewed bulk procurement has increased by 91 percent compared with the first round.

Since 2018, China has launched 12 rounds of national-level bulk procurement for drugs, covering 555 types of medicines, as well as six rounds of bulk procurement for high-value medical consumables, covering 142 types of products, according to the NHSA.

More provincial-level procurement programs have also been rolled out.

wangxiaoyu@chinadaily.com.cn