Hong Kong Considers Requiring Dental Graduates to Work in Public Health Institutions

Hong Kong: Hong Kong’s proposal to require dental graduates to undergo a one-year internship in public health institutions before registering as dentists has been met with fierce criticism. Critics argue that the proposal would primarily benefit civil servants as the existing care at government clinics largely caters to them.

Clarification from Health Chief

In response, Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau clarified that the government has not yet made a decision on whether staying on for another two years in public health institutions would be mandatory for dental graduates. Lo explained that the proposal was aimed at addressing the shortage of dentists in Hong Kong.

Out of the 2,706 registered dentists in Hong Kong, almost 10% have gone overseas, and 45% are approaching retirement age. The shortage is severe, with nearly 100 vacancies in the Department of Health.

Balancing Concerns

Lo argued that it was not too much to ask a dentist to work in the public sector for three years, considering that the government had spent around HK$3 million (US$380k) on each dentist’s training, and they typically spent 35 years in the industry after graduation. However, he also acknowledged the concerns raised by critics and stated that the proposal would be taken as a starting point for discussion.

Future Considerations

Lo added that there had been no decision on whether the government would expand the scope of public dental services with the roll-out of the new requirement. He also addressed questions on whether doctors would have similar arrangements, saying that there was no timetable to implement measures for them. He added that the government would discuss with the industry, especially medical schools, whether doctors would be required to stay longer after their specialist training.

Lo emphasized that the most important issue was to help the disadvantaged by filling the gap in public dental services. He urged stakeholders to focus on this goal rather than letting certain arguments focus purely on the civil service.

The proposal will continue to be discussed, and the government will consider feedback from all stakeholders before making a final decision.