The city of Helsinki has announced the suspension of its ordering for urgent and semi-urgent dental care services, commencing a re-tendering process for these services. Meanwhile, the provision for non-urgent dental care remains unaffected, with KotiHammmas and Spider Med continuing as service providers under the previous contract. This decision follows a review by the city's social, health, and rescue board regarding recent complaints by Mehiläinen, a prominent healthcare company, about the competitive bidding process held last autumn.

Mehiläinen filed appeals against the city's procurement decisions from last autumn, contesting the selection outcomes and arguing that the bidding process favored bids with exceptionally low prices. According to Mehiläinen, the criteria set for evaluating the bids have resulted in a decision that allegedly violates legal standards, as KotiHammmas's proposal was not deemed the most economically advantageous overall. As such, Mehiläinen, which secured third place in the bidding process, urged the city to reconsider its choice for non-urgent services to align with its own proposal that they believe offers better value.

This situation illustrates the complexities within municipal healthcare procurement, where market dynamics can significantly impact service delivery and provider viability. The outcome of the re-tendering process could not only affect the operational landscape for dental care in Helsinki but may also set a precedent for how similar future procurement processes are conducted within Finland's healthcare system. This decision is particularly relevant in the context of ongoing discussions about healthcare financing and service accessibility in the country.