Oral health and dental care in Hong Kong

Abstract

Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of People's Republic of China, is a metropolitan city in Asia with a population of over 7 million people. This paper reflects the current oral health and dental care situations in Hong Kong. Water fluoridation was commenced in 1961, with a current level at 0.5 ppm. And there has continuously been lower caries prevalence thereafter. Dental care is mainly provided by private practitioners. The School Dental Care Service, run by the Department of Health, provides dental care to enrolled primary school children through treatments by dental therapists. An Oral Health Education Unit is set up to promote dental health among the public, particularly preschool children. Government dentists serve mainly civil servants and their dependents. Limited emergency dental care is available to the public at designated government clinics for pain relief, most commonly in the form of extractions. There are about 2200 registered dentists and the dentist to population ratio is about 1:3200. Amongst the dental team, dental hygienists are trained in limited numbers. There are only less than 320 dental hygienists registered, working under the supervision of dentists. The Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Hong Kong has been providing 5-year undergraduate training in dentistry since 1981, and this is lengthened to 6 years from 2012 onwards. Specialty training requires at least a further 6 years. There are 8 specialties, which are Community Dentistry, Endodontics, Family Dentistry, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Oral Rehabilitation, Orthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry, and Periodontics.