4,000 Saudi dentists jobless

There are 3,000 who have just graduated and 1,000 who have done so but have not found work. (SPA)

JEDDAH: A whopping 4,000 Saudi dentists are unable to find jobs, according to a report in an online publication on Friday.
There are 3,000 who have just graduated and 1,000 who have done so but have not found work. Experts were quoted as saying that jobs are available, but expats are being hired.
Asim Arab, chairman of the national committee for consultancies at the Council of Chambers of Commerce, said that many hospitals do not have the required number of dentists. He said these facilities must hire citizens rather than expatriates.
He said many dentistry graduates have been doing other jobs, such as working at fast food restaurants, bakeries and in unrelated government positions. They should file complaints with the Health Ministry and Civil Service Ministry, he was quoted as saying.
Fahad, a dentist, said that the Health Ministry has signed employment contracts with foreigners, which the Civil Service Ministry should deal with. In addition, he said dentists are only paid SR4,000 a month, which is just 20 percent of what they should earn.
Mehana Saud, another dentist, said that the Labor Ministry has allowed the owners of health facilities to hire security and reception workers locally and to bring doctors from abroad. He said that Saudization was only about 6 percent. In certain cases there was just one Saudi doctor among 20 expats.
There are 2,525 expatriate dentists working at government dental clinics. There are 3,500 dentists required for 2,280 health centers in the Kingdom.