The government announced on Monday that the Hospital Dental Service (HDS), currently provided by the Department of Health, will be integrated with the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) Service under the Hospital Authority (HA) starting February 6 next year.
All patients with appointments on or after that date will have their scheduled and follow-up appointment records from seven Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Dental Clinics transferred to the HA. Their cases and related medical records, including clinical and X-ray records, clinical photographs, and dental casts, will also be handed over.
Patients or their family members who do not wish to have their cases and related records transferred are required to notify the department on or before January 16 by calling 3153 4044 or sending an email.
For patients who opt out of the transfer arrangement, any follow-up appointments scheduled for February 6 or later will be canceled, the department said.
According to the department, the seven clinics are located within public hospitals under the HA and mainly provide specialist oral and maxillofacial surgery and dental services for inpatients, patients with special oral care needs, and those requiring emergency dental treatment.
The clinics will continue to operate at their existing locations and will be merged with the HA’s Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery services in six public hospitals, with the aim of streamlining and optimizing overall service arrangements.
