Is dentist training so down in the mouth?

Is the training of the city's dentists truly as appalling as Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau likes to portray?

Lo is threatening that the Dental Council could deregister the only local undergraduate dental surgery degree course here unless a government bill requiring graduates to undertake a one-year internship at public institutions is passed.

But patients' complaints are not about the standard of treatment they receive at Hong Kong's dental clinics but, rather, the fees being charged.

It is primarily due to the expensive fees that Hongkongers are forced to switch to Shenzhen for dental care. Still, many are prepared to return to Hong Kong for follow up should something go seriously wrong.

Claims that local graduates are inadequately trained are alarming - and contrary to the public understanding.

Certainly, the minister may have access to privileged information of which the public is unaware.

If this is the case, it would be in the public interest to furnish lawmakers with this privileged information to enable the Legislative Council to thoroughly discuss a bill seeking to amend the law to require dentistry graduates to practice at public organizations for a year.

If, as expected, the amendment is passed, the internship arrangement will begin with students graduating from next year. They will be paid about HK$30,000 a month.

In principle, every measure that enhances service standards is welcome and lawmakers - including Legco's health panel chair Rebecca Chan Hoi-yan, who has expressed concern about the bill - should keep their minds open to the government's proposal to enhance the dentistry program.

If it is proved beyond doubt that existing training is inadequate, steps will have to be taken to strengthen it.

On the other hand, if it is adequate and is just a case of the authority wanting graduates to serve the public for a certain period to overcome manpower shortage at public institutions before they go private, it must be frank about it.

It is regrettable that the way the authority is pushing the case appears to serve neither end.

Assuming that training were truly inadequate as stated, a year of internship would be a remedy. Yet, this could also be achieved in a number of ways.

Internship at public institutions is not the only way. Collaboration with private clinics or dental organizations could also be considered to enrich internship if training were the only purpose.

The way the current case is presented confuses the argument, although it could have been more persuasive had the minister shown more evidence.

So, are dentists in Hong Kong poorly trained?

As Lo pressed his case the other day, he may have been unaware that he was jeopardizing the reputation of the whole sector and that could have a detrimental impact on Hong Kong dentistry, which has been a world leader.

According to a statement issued by the University of Hong Kong last evening, it is apparent that the dental school has accepted that internship will be inevitable.

However, will it be a seventh year on top of the existing six-year program or just part of the six-year course?

The statement was not clear on this.