Hong Kong must explain how proposal to require new dentists to work in public sector for 3 years will benefit residents, medical sector lawmaker says

Hong Kong must explain how a proposal to require dental graduates to work at public institutions for three years will benefit residents, the medical and health services sector lawmaker has said, after authorities sought industry consensus during a consultation.

The Hong Kong Dental Association on Friday said the government consultation, revealed by the industry earlier this week, had sparked concern among dental students.

Currently, students are required to finish six years of academic training, which includes clinical sessions. Under the government’s proposal, they will have to undergo a one-year internship at a designated public health clinic before they can register as dentists and then stay there for another two years.

Medical and health services sector lawmaker Dr David Lam Tzit-yuen urged authorities to explain how the proposal would improve dental services, as existing care at public clinics largely benefited civil servants.

“Hong Kong’s public dental services mainly cater to civil servants and very limited service is for the public in emergency cases … the government is now asking more dentists to join the civil service, but they will be here to mainly serve civil servants. It is just unfair,” Lam said.

President of the Hong Kong Dental Association Dr Nelson Wong Chi-wai said students were not given advance notice of the proposal, adding it would cause them concern.

“Dentistry is a professional subject which has a very high entry requirement, and students would have had a lot of choices if they had not chosen this subject … they could have chosen medicine which only requires seven years,” Wong said on a radio programme. “The decision is a lifelong one as almost all graduates become dentists.”