Hong Kong to offer free, low-cost dental services to homeless next year

Homeless people in Hong Kong will have access to free and more affordable dental services starting next year under an expanded government health programme, authorities have said.

From January 1, the community dental support programme under the Department of Health will be expanded to offer dental scaling services, root canal treatment and denture fittings, with homeless people to be included as beneficiaries.

To qualify, homeless individuals must first be identified by social workers from one of the 32 NGOs taking part in the scheme, which will refer them to the service.

“[The Department of Health] asked NGOs focusing on homeless services to contact homeless people who are usually not in any government support network, so that they would not have to go through administration procedures such as proving their income,” Deputy Secretary for Health Eddie Lee Lik-kong said.

Under the enhanced scheme highlighted in the policy address last year, participants will pay HK$50 (US$6.40) per teeth scaling service or root canal treatment, and HK$1,000 for either an upper or lower jaw denture.

For the homeless and certain groups with greater needs, teeth scaling and root canal treatment will be free, while dentures will come at HK$500 per set.