New Digital Dental Appointment System Face Significant No-Shows

HONG KONG: In the wake of a newly implemented online booking system for public dental clinics in Hong Kong, concerns have emerged about the high rate of appointment no-shows, according to a recent report from the South China Morning Post. The system, which launched on Monday, replaced the previous requirement for residents to queue physically for appointments.

Alarming No-Show Statistics

Despite the system’s successful launch, with all available slots being claimed on the first day, approximately 30% of patients failed to attend their scheduled appointments, according to Tim Pang Hung-cheong, a patients’ rights advocate with the Society for Community Organization.

Proposed Penalty System

“A penalty scheme should be established to prohibit those who missed their appointments without valid reasons from making another appointment for some time,” Pang suggested in his statement to SCMP. While acknowledging the complexities involved, he emphasized that “some measures should still be in place to prevent the waste of public resources.”

System Implementation and Notification Concerns

The new booking system operates daily between 6 am and 11:30 am, allowing residents to secure dental appointments online. Pang stressed the importance of ensuring proper notification systems, stating that “authorities should ensure that citizens receive notification when having successfully secured a slot.”

Additional Recommendations

The report highlights ongoing concerns about access to dental care. Pang noted that authorities currently lack a strategy for addressing cases where citizens repeatedly fail to secure appointments. He recommended that “authorities should allocate some quotas to establish a special team for those people to increase their chances of being selected.”

Future Developments

Looking ahead, the situation may see improvement with the anticipated launch of a Community Dental Support Programme in mid-2025. According to Pang, this initiative is expected to help reduce the overall demand for dental appointments in Hong Kong’s public health system.