Hong Kong Positions Itself as a Global Dental Healthcare Hub

Key Takeaways:

• Hong Kong aims to become a global hub for medical and health innovation, leveraging its R&D infrastructure and policies.
• Initiatives announced by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu aim to establish the city as an international health and medical innovation centre.
• Modern Dental Group exemplifies Hong Kong’s role in expanding affordable dental healthcare globally, including through acquisitions and outreach programs.
• Digitalisation is transforming dental care, but knowledge gaps persist in emerging markets, which companies like Modern Dental are working to address.
• Educational initiatives, such as online platforms and collaborations with universities, aim to upskill dental professionals worldwide.

Hong Kong’s Strategic Push Towards Medical Innovation

Hong Kong is positioning itself as a global leader in the medical and health industries, aiming to leverage its world-class research and development (R&D) infrastructure, skilled workforce, and supportive policies to attract businesses. During last year’s policy address, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu outlined several initiatives aimed at transforming the city into an international health and medical innovation centre. This vision aligns with broader goals of fostering collaboration under China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which seeks to promote trade, innovation, and healthcare cooperation among participating countries.

By offering favourable incentives and creating an environment conducive to growth, Hong Kong is encouraging local and international companies to invest in the region. The city’s strategic location as a gateway between China and the rest of the world further enhances its appeal to businesses seeking to expand their global reach.

Modern Dental Group: Expanding Access to Affordable Care

One company that exemplifies Hong Kong’s growing influence in the global healthcare landscape is Modern Dental Group. Founded in 1986, the company has grown into a leading provider and distributor of dental prosthetic devices, operating in regions such as mainland China, Southeast Asia, Europe, Australia, and Africa. In 2023, the company achieved a significant milestone by assisting 2 million patients.

Modern Dental Group continues to capitalise on Hong Kong’s unique position as a bridge between China and global markets. Recent expansions include the acquisition of Hexa Ceram Dental Laboratory, one of Thailand’s largest dental laboratories, and the establishment of a production facility in Vietnam. These moves have allowed the company to offer more affordable dental prosthetics, catering to underserved markets.

“Our original production site in [the southern Chinese city of] Dongguan focuses on more premium products,” says Edith Chan, Modern Dental Group’s executive director and chief marketing officer. “By diversifying our production sites, we hope to serve new markets and customers that we weren’t able to reach before and cater to more people in need.”

Chan emphasises the company’s mission to reduce inequalities in access to dental healthcare. “We want everyone to have the same proper dental care regardless of their socioeconomic background,” she adds.

Bridging Knowledge Gaps Through Digitalisation

The dental care industry is rapidly embracing digitalisation, with innovations such as small oral scanners enabling dentists to capture 3D images of patients’ teeth and send them directly to labs for immediate production of prosthetics. However, while developed markets are adopting these technologies, many emerging countries still lag behind due to a lack of awareness and training.

Modern Dental Group is addressing this gap through various educational initiatives. Since 2018, the Modern Dental Care Foundation, established by the company’s European arm, Modern Dental Europe, has conducted seven outreach missions to Madagascar. These efforts involve collaborating with local dentists to provide essential procedures to over 1,000 patients in a week and educating children about preventive dental care.

In addition, the company launched the Center of Dental Education in 2019, an online platform offering courses and webinars to approximately 500 dental care professionals worldwide. The platform features lectures and hands-on instruction from leading practitioners on the latest trends in digital dentistry.

“Our education system allows us to share our experience and best practices in digital dental solutions to dentists in emerging belt and road countries,” Chan explains.

A Commitment to Global Impact

Beyond its commercial success, Modern Dental Group is committed to giving back to the global community. By partnering with universities and healthcare institutions, the company provides training to young dentists using cutting-edge equipment and digital solutions.

“Our mission is to reduce inequalities and to ensure that everyone has access to dental healthcare,” Chan reiterates. “As a leading dental company, it’s really important to us to lead as an example and to give back.”

Through its combination of business expansion, technological adoption, and educational outreach, Modern Dental Group highlights Hong Kong’s potential to contribute meaningfully to global healthcare advancements. As the city continues to foster its medical and health industries, initiatives like these will play a crucial role in shaping its future as a hub for innovation and inclusivity.