Dental Instruments In Bahrain
Written by the Equate Instruments Technical Team · Published ·
Dentists and distributors in Bahrain can buy Equate dental instruments directly from the manufacturer, through the Regional Executive for GCC. In 2015, Bahrain had 134 dentists, or 1.0 per 10,000 people (WHO).
Key points
- Medical devices in Bahrain are overseen by National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA).
- Equate sells direct to Bahrain, with a named Regional Executive for GCC.
Dentists in Bahrain at a glance
- Dentists with an active NHRA licence: 1,125 (2022) to 1,172 (2023)
- +4.2% since 2022
- Dentists with an active NHRA licence: 1,125 (2022) to 1,172 (2023)
- National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) Annual Report, 2023
- In 2015, Bahrain had 134 dentists, or 1.0 per 10,000 people (WHO).
- 134
- In 2015, Bahrain had 134 dentists, or 1.0 per 10,000 people (WHO).
- World Health Organization (Oral Health Country Profile 2022), 2015
- WHO reports 1.0 dentists per 10,000 people in Bahrain for 2015.
- 1
- WHO reports 1.0 dentists per 10,000 people in Bahrain for 2015.
- World Health Organization (Oral Health Country Profile 2022), 2015
- Untreated caries, age 5+34.3%
- Severe periodontal disease, 15+20.4%
- No natural teeth, 20+6.6%
The dark line marks the median of Equate's 22 markets. Source: WHO Oral Health Country Profiles 2022 (2019 estimates).
How many dentists are there in Bahrain?
The number of dentists with an active NHRA licence in Bahrain rose 4.2%, from 1,125 in 2022 to 1,172 in 2023 (National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) Annual Report).
WHO reports 1.0 dentists per 10,000 people in Bahrain for 2015.
See how Bahrain compares with Equate's other markets in dentists per 10,000 people across 21 countries.
What is the state of oral health in Bahrain?
In 2019, an estimated 42.8% of children aged 1–9 in Bahrain had untreated caries in their primary teeth (WHO).
In 2019, an estimated 34.3% of people aged 5 and over in Bahrain had untreated caries in their permanent teeth (WHO).
In 2019, an estimated 20.4% of people aged 15 and over in Bahrain had severe periodontal disease (WHO).
In 2019, an estimated 6.6% of adults aged 20 and over in Bahrain had lost all their natural teeth (WHO).
Bahrain recorded 18 new cases of lip and oral cavity cancer in 2020 (WHO).
How are teeth numbered in Bahrain?
Dentists in Bahrain 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.
Most-searched Equate instruments for Bahrain
All products
extraction forceps
Children's Extraction Forceps - Upper Incisors 10cm (Fig. 137)
EI-0609
extraction forceps
Extracting Forceps Fig.86 Lower Molars Cow-Horn Beak
EI-0651
hand scalers
Nebraska 128 Anterior Sickle Scaler
EI-0254
hand scalers
Mini Sickle Scaler 11/12
EI-0248
dental elevators and luxators
Periosteal Molt 7/5mm 18.5cm Hollow Handle 10mm
EI-0140
dental elevators and luxators
Molt Periosteal Elevator, 7mm/5mm Ends, Solid Handle
EI-0214
periodontal probes
Probe CP-2 and Explorer #6 - Double-Ended Diagnostic Instrument
EI-0206
periodontal probes
UNC Periodontal Probe CP 15 - Hollow Handle
EI-0040
What do national dental surveys show in Bahrain?
- Oral Health Country Profile 2022 (World Health Organization, 2022): In 2019, an estimated 34.3% of people aged 5 and over in Bahrain had untreated caries in their permanent teeth (WHO).
- Government school oral health survey (unpublished, cited by Ministry of Health dental staff) (BDJ Open, 2021): A Ministry of Health survey of government school students in Bahrain, cited in BDJ Open in 2021, found caries experience in 86.8% of 6-year-olds, 56.4% of 12-year-olds and 59% of 15-year-olds.
How is dental care organised and paid for in Bahrain?
Total spending on dental care in Bahrain was estimated at US$62 million in 2019, or US$41 per person (WHO).
According to WHO's 2021 survey, Bahrain had a national oral health policy, strategy or action plan at the operational or drafting stage.
According to WHO's 2021 survey, Bahrain had implemented a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages.
Bahrain's NHRA medical-centre standards include a dedicated element for dental centres (NHRA).
In Bahrain, oral and dental health services are part of the Ministry of Health's primary care, offering educational, preventive, therapeutic and specialised services to all members of the community (Ministry of Health).
Bahrain's Ministry of Health dental services provide a wide range of primary and secondary dental care free of cost (BDJ Open).
In Bahrain, the University of Bahrain's College of Health and Sport Sciences offers a Dental Hygiene programme at Associate Degree level (University of Bahrain).
How are dental instruments regulated in Bahrain?
In Bahrain, the National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) regulates medical devices across pre-market registration, importation and post-market surveillance.
In Bahrain, a company must be registered with the NHRA as an authorised representative before importing or registering medical devices (NHRA).
The authority responsible for medical devices in Bahrain is National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA).
What are the rules for cleaning and sterilising dental instruments in Bahrain?
Bahrain's NHRA medical-centre standards require a facility-wide infection prevention and control programme covering cleaning, decontamination, disinfection and sterilisation (NHRA).
Bahrain's NHRA Accreditation Standards for Medical Centers (version 2, January 2018) apply to free-standing facilities including dental centres.
What do dentists in Bahrain search for?
Search data for Bahrain 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.
| Instrument | Searches a month (band) | Most searched term |
|---|---|---|
| Dental Extraction Forceps | 50,350 | dental forceps |
| Dental Scalers (Hand Scalers) | 43,200 | dental scaler |
| Dental Elevators and Luxators | 40,550 | dental elevator |
| Periodontal Probes | 35,600 | dental perio probe |
| Restorative Dental Hand Instruments | 24,000 | acorn burnisher |
| Dental and Oral Surgery Retractors | 20,900 | cheek retractors |
Which dental instruments does Equate supply to Bahrain?
Equate's instrument guides for Bahrain 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: Manama.
Why do dental practices in Bahrain work with Equate?
- Buyers in Bahrain 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 GCC handles quotes, samples and volume pricing for government and private hospitals and private dental centres in Bahrain.
- Samples are available, so a clinic in Bahrain can test an instrument before ordering in volume.
Social listening
What dental professionals and students across GCC discuss online
Treatment prices, insurance and over-treatment worries
MixedExpat patients compare prices between clinics and find wide gaps for the same item, choose clinics by which insurance plans they accept, and complain about being pushed towards treatment they did not need. Public dental services are seen as fine for basic care.
- Dentist prices here in Doha?· ExpatWoman Qatar forum, 2012
- dental clinic in kuwait· Expat.com Kuwait forum, 2012
Licensing exams and experience requirements
CriticalDentists moving to the Gulf ask mostly about each country's own licensing exam, verification of documents and minimum years of experience. Answers are thin and dated; posters say results do not carry across countries and that exams have grown harder as localisation policies advance.
- Dentistry in Saudi Arabia, UAE· Student Doctor Network, 2004
- Dentistry in Dubai or Qatar area... anyone know?· Student Doctor Network, 2006
- KDLE(DENTIST)· Expat.com Kuwait forum, 2016
Salaries, contracts and career trade-offs
MixedPosters describe salaried two-year contracts with housing benefits, pay that depends heavily on where the dentist trained, and employers wanting several years of experience. Several warn that Gulf posts are less lucrative than they look and that big-city markets are saturated.
- Dentistry in Saudi Arabia, UAE· Student Doctor Network, 2004
- Working in Saudi· Student Doctor Network, 2006
- Dentistry in Dubai or Qatar area... anyone know?· Student Doctor Network, 2006
Equate's summary of public threads on Student Doctor Network, ExpatWoman Qatar forum, Expat.com Kuwait forum, Expat.com Muscat forum, read 2026-10-27. No posters are named and brand names are left out; thread links are listed in the page's data file.
Equate data
Bahrain in Equate's market data
Bahrain ranks 19 of 22 in the Equate Dental Market Index 2026, with a score of 38.1 out of 100. See the full index
Your Regional Executive · GCC
Nader Chaudhry
Regional Executive, London, UK
Frequently asked questions
How many dentists are there in Bahrain?
In 2015, Bahrain had 134 dentists, or 1.0 per 10,000 people (WHO).
How common is tooth decay in Bahrain?
In 2019, an estimated 34.3% of people aged 5 and over in Bahrain had untreated caries in their permanent teeth (WHO). In 2019, an estimated 42.8% of children aged 1–9 in Bahrain had untreated caries in their primary teeth (WHO).
How common is gum disease in Bahrain?
In 2019, an estimated 20.4% of people aged 15 and over in Bahrain had severe periodontal disease (WHO).
How much is spent on dental care in Bahrain?
Total spending on dental care in Bahrain was estimated at US$62 million in 2019, or US$41 per person (WHO).
Does Bahrain have a national oral health policy?
According to WHO's 2021 survey, Bahrain had a national oral health policy, strategy or action plan at the operational or drafting stage.
Who regulates medical devices in Bahrain?
The National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) regulates medical devices in Bahrain, from pre-market registration and importation to post-market surveillance. Companies must register with the NHRA as an authorised representative before importing or registering devices.
What infection-control rules apply to dental centres in Bahrain?
Bahrain's NHRA Accreditation Standards for Medical Centers (version 2, January 2018) apply to free-standing facilities including dental centres. Bahrain's NHRA medical-centre standards require a facility-wide infection prevention and control programme covering cleaning, decontamination, disinfection and sterilisation (NHRA).
References
- National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) Annual Report (2023)
- World Health Organization (Oral Health Country Profile 2022) (2015)
- BDJ Open (2021)
- National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) (2018)
- Ministry of Health, Kingdom of Bahrain (2026)
- University of Bahrain, College of Health and Sport Sciences (2026)
- National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) (2026)
I am a… in Bahrain
