The Department of Health announced today that the Community Dental Support Programme (CDSP) will be launched on May 26 to provide additional dental services to underprivileged patients with financial difficulties.

The programme is in addition to existing dental grants under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme and emergency dental services provided by government dental clinics.

The CDSP is expected to provide service capacity that is at least double that of current general public sessions at government dental clinics – in other words, about 40,000 participants every year.

CDSP service users must hold a Hong Kong identity card, be enrolled in the Electronic Health Record Sharing System, and be current beneficiaries or recipients of the Old Age Living Allowance, the Community Care Service Voucher Scheme for the Elderly, Integrated Home Care Services, Enhanced Home & Community Care Services, or Home Support Services. They can also be Hospital Authority patients who have been given a Medical Fee Waiver by the authority.

Each service user can apply for subsidised dental services, encompassing preventive and curative oral health and dental care services, once every 180 days.

Subject to dental assessment, service users will be offered subsidised services including oral health assessments, medications for dental pain relief, X-ray examinations, and dental fillings or extractions, with each tooth counting towards a “Teeth Filling/Extraction Quota”.

Each service user is required to pay an administration fee to providers of $50 for each tooth filled or extracted, up to a maximum fee of $150. Treatment for a maximum of three teeth will be provided every 180 days.

If a service user receives Integrated Home Care Services, Enhanced Home & Community Care Services or Home Support Services, or is eligible under the Medical Fee Waiver scheme, the Government will subsidise the administration fee in full.

To date, 32 non-governmental organisations are participating in the CDSP, providing nearly 80 dental service points across all 18 districts of Hong Kong.

Eligible patients can visit the dedicated webpage, where they can select and contact the clinic of their choice to make an appointment for government-subsidised dental care services on or after May 26. 

Additionally, the Department of Health will increase dental general public sessions by nearly 30% from June onwards and introduce enhancements to the online registration system for such sessions at the end of June. Details will be announced in due course.