The hospital dental service (HDS) currently provided by the Department of Health (DH) will be integrated with the oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) Service under the Hospital Authority (HA) from February 6, 2026, the DH and the HA announced today.

The HDS will be taken up by the HA.

The seven oral maxillofacial surgery and dental clinics under the DH's HDS are all located within seven HA public hospitals, primarily providing specialist oral maxillofacial surgery and dental treatment for hospital in-patients, patients with special oral healthcare needs, and dental emergencies.

The seven HA public hospitals are Queen Mary Hospital, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital, Tuen Mun Hospital, Prince of Wales Hospital and North District Hospital.

These clinics will continue to operate at the original sites and integrate with the existing OMS service in six public hospitals provided by the HA.

The DH and the HA said the arrangement will help further streamline and optimise the overall service delivery.

To ensure continuity in patient care upon the transfer of service, all scheduled/follow-up appointment records for patients at the aforementioned seven clinics for dates on or after February 6, 2026, along with the cases and relevant medical records stored at these clinics, will be transferred to the HA.

Patients or family members who do not agree to have their cases and relevant medical records transferred to the HA should contact the DH by phone at 3153 4044 or by email on or before January 16, 2026.

Patients who opt out of the arrangements should note that their follow-up appointments scheduled on or after February 6 next year will be cancelled. Should they require future consultations at the HA's dental and OMS services, a new referral letter will be required for appointments, and new case consultation fees will be charged according to the HA's arrangements.

Medical records that patients or family members refuse to transfer to the HA will be disposed of and destroyed by the DH in accordance with its record management policy after the service transfer.