Hong Kong’s Department of Health has expanded its subsidised dental care programme, extending low-cost and advanced services to more underprivileged residents, including teenagers and homeless people.
Launched in May last year, the community dental support programme offers free or affordable dental services to vulnerable groups. More than 10,000 teenagers and low-income residents have benefited so far, the department said. Services include advanced treatments such as crown or bridge removal and denture fitting.
Under the scheme, eligible adults pay a HK$50 administrative fee for services provided every 180 days. These include an oral check-up, X-ray examination, pain-relief medication, and one filling or extraction for up to three teeth. From this month, homeless people have also been included in the programme.
Dr Rico Chu Wing-ho, a senior officer with the department’s community dental service, said officials worked with non-governmental organisations to define eligibility for homeless applicants. Street sleepers must hold a Hong Kong identity card, be enrolled in the Electronic Health System, and use recognised welfare services such as temporary shelters, hostels, or outreach support teams.
Social workers will help identify eligible individuals, assess needs, assist with applications and arrange appointments. The number of registered street sleepers stood at 795 in the 2023–24 financial year.
A separate primary dental co-care pilot scheme for adolescents aged 13 to 17 was introduced in March last year and has served at least 5,100 teenagers. The adult programme also includes recipients of the Old Age Living Allowance, which covered more than 5,200 people as of December 10.
From next year, additional services will be added. For HK$50, participants can receive dental scaling or root canal treatment for one tooth every 365 days. Bridge removal will cost HK$100 and crown removal HK$50, each available once every 180 days.
Removable dentures will be offered at HK$1,000 to patients with fewer than 20 teeth, based on dental assessment. Each person may receive the service twice, with a five-year interval. Certain groups, including homeless people and patients with full medical fee waivers at public hospitals, will have administrative fees waived and pay only HK$500 for dentures.