Hong Kong Considers Public-Private Partnerships to Address Dental Service Shortage

HONG KONG: In response to the city’s auditor revealing substantial decreases in public dental clinic appointments, a lawmaker and concern group in Hong Kong are advocating for a public-private partnership to alleviate the strain on dental services. The call comes after reports of patients waiting overnight to secure appointments at public clinics due to dwindling availability.

Challenges Faced by Low-Income Residents

Low-income residents are particularly affected by the shortage of dental services, as public clinics remain their primary option despite offering primarily emergency treatments. Ivan Lin Wai-kiu, a community organizer from the Society for Community Organisation (SoCO), emphasized the limited options for low-income families, stating, “For some low-income families, besides the public dental clinics, they have no other solutions.”

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The government has outlined plans for public-private partnerships, including a pilot scheme set to launch in 2025 to partially subsidize private dental check-up services for adolescents aged between 13 and 17. SoCO hopes such initiatives will alleviate the strain on public clinics by leveraging resources from the private sector.

Support for Partnership

Medical sector lawmaker David Lam Tzit-yuen echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the potential of public-private partnerships to alleviate demand for public dental services. However, he highlighted the need for better coordination between the public and private sectors to overcome logistical challenges.

In response to the auditor’s report, the Department of Health cited the Covid-19 pandemic and personnel shortages as reasons for the decrease in public dental services since 2020. However, the auditor urged the department to consider increasing service quotas and exploring new service models to address the shortfall. The Health Bureau has outlined several measures to improve dental services, including providing urgent services in cooperation with NGOs and launching dental care programs targeting specific age groups.

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Addressing the Dentist Shortage

Hong Kong is facing a shortage of dentists, with projections indicating a shortfall of practitioners in the coming years. The government aims to address this by implementing measures to increase dental services and explore partnerships with NGOs and the private sector.

In conclusion, the push for public-private partnerships represents a potential solution to address the shortage of dental services in Hong Kong, offering hope for improved access to dental care for residents, particularly those from marginalized communities.