Dental Instruments In Latvia

How many dentists are there in Latvia?

The number of practising dentists in Latvia fell 4.3%, from 1,400 in 2014 to 1,340 in 2024 (Eurostat (dataset hlth_rs_prs2, Health personnel)).

See how Latvia compares with Equate's other markets in dentists per 10,000 people across 21 countries.

What is the state of oral health in Latvia?

In 2019, an estimated 35.7% of people aged 5 and over in Latvia had untreated caries of permanent teeth (WHO Oral Health Country Profile).

In 2019, an estimated 47.5% of children aged 1 to 9 in Latvia had untreated caries of deciduous teeth (WHO Oral Health Country Profile).

In 2019, an estimated 21.3% of people aged 15 and over in Latvia had severe periodontal disease (WHO Oral Health Country Profile).

In 2019, an estimated 10.5% of people aged 20 and over in Latvia had lost all their natural teeth (WHO Oral Health Country Profile).

In 2020, the age-standardised incidence of lip and oral cavity cancer in Latvia was 6.0 per 100,000 people (WHO Oral Health Country Profile).

In 2021, WHO recorded that Latvia applied a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (WHO Oral Health Country Profile).

Where can you study dentistry in Latvia?

Dental degrees in Latvia are taught at 1 school, based in Riga.

In Latvia, the Dentistry programme at Rīga Stradiņš University lasts five years (300 ECTS) and leads to the Doctor of Dental Surgery degree (Rīga Stradiņš University).

What are the milestones in Latvia's dental history?

• Dental education in Latvia began in 1921, when a Dentistry Department opened with 18 students at the University of Latvia's Faculty of Medicine; Rīga Stradiņš University counts this as the founding year of its Faculty of Dentistry (RSU).
• The dentistry faculty in Riga became an independent faculty in 1950 (Rīga Stradiņš University).
• Latvia had 837 dentists in 1938 and 178 in 1945, according to Rīga Stradiņš University's faculty history (RSU).

Which organisations represent dentists in Latvia?

• Latvian Dental Association (Latvijas Zobārstu asociācija) (association)
• National Health Service of Latvia (NVD) (regulator)

What do dentists in Latvia search for?

Search data for Latvia alone isn't published; these are the instrument searches across the English-language markets Equate tracks (Europe and North America), in Google Keyword Planner bands, October 2025 to September 2026.

How are teeth numbered in Latvia?

Dentists in Latvia use the FDI two-digit system set out in ISO 3950, where 11 is the upper right central incisor and 48 the lower right third molar.

What do national dental surveys show in Latvia?

• WHO Oral Health Country Profile (World Health Organization, 2022): In 2019, an estimated 35.7% of people aged 5 and over in Latvia had untreated caries of permanent teeth (WHO Oral Health Country Profile).

How is dental care organised and paid for in Latvia?

In Latvia, dental care for children under 18 is fully covered by the state budget (National Health Service of Latvia).

In Latvia, the state pays for dental hygiene once a year for children aged 2 to 18, and orthodontic treatment for people with congenital cleft jaws is covered up to age 22 (National Health Service of Latvia).

In 2019, per capita expenditure on dental healthcare in Latvia was an estimated US$58 (WHO Oral Health Country Profile).

How are dental instruments regulated in Latvia?

With effect from 26 May 2021, Regulation (EU) 2017/745 on medical devices replaced Council Directives 90/385/EEC and 93/42/EEC across the EU, including Latvia (European Commission).

What are the rules for cleaning and sterilising dental instruments in Latvia?

In Latvia, Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 104 of 16 February 2016 sets the basic requirements for the hygienic and anti-epidemic regime in medical treatment institutions (Latvian Dental Association).

In 2016, the Latvian Dental Association asked members to review their quality management systems by 1 July 2016 to comply with Cabinet Regulation No. 104 (Latvian Dental Association).

Which dental instruments does Equate supply to Latvia?

Equate's instrument guides for Latvia cover dental curettes, dental elevators and luxators, dental explorers, extraction forceps, mouth mirrors, surgical retractors, hand scalers, periodontal probes, restorative hand instruments, spoon excavators and tooth extraction instruments.

City guides: Daugavpils and Riga.

Why do dental practices in Latvia work with Equate?

• Buyers in Latvia deal with the manufacturer itself, choosing from 3,375 instrument references.
• Every instrument is passivated stainless steel, ultrasonically cleaned, shape-, boil- and performance-tested and individually packed.
• A named Regional Executive for Baltics handles quotes, samples and volume pricing for private clinics and university dental clinics in Latvia.
• Samples are available, so a clinic in Latvia can test an instrument before ordering in volume.