Hopes high for pain-free next steps involving dentists

Alysha Bibi

The government is currently hiring local and nonlocally trained dentists with a monthly salary ranging from HK$71,010 to HK$93,255, with the application open now until September 23.

This follows the recent passage of the Dentists Registration (Amendment) Bill 2024 by the Legislative Council earlier this month.

The law allows nonlocally trained dentists to legally practice in Hong Kong and also mandates local graduates to undergo a one-year mandatory internship before they can obtain full registration if they wish to practice in the city.

The internship will apply to students graduating in the summer of 2025 onward.

Local interns will rotate through various positions under the guidance of experienced dentists, including general dentistry, community special dental service, school dental care service, and hospital dental service.

The Department of Health said yesterday it will collaborate with offices outside the city for recruitment awareness. A spokesman added: "The department will work closely with the Dental Council of Hong Kong, striving to admit the first batch of nonlocally trained dentists to Hong Kong through the mechanism to serve the public in the first quarter of 2025."

The requirements include being registered as a dentist outside Hong Kong, having at least one year of full-time post-qualification clinical experience, possessing a good command of English and the ability to communicate in Chinese, and obtaining either limited registration (open to all dentists) or special registration (granted to specialist dentists) under the Dental Council of Hong Kong.

They can submit limited or special registration applications to the council once they have been selected for full-time employment in specified local institutions, such as the Department of Health, Hospital Authority, University of Hong Kong, or the Prince Philip Dental Hospital.

Selected dentists will be appointed on non-civil service terms for 12 months, with contract renewal depending on the department's service needs and performance.

Under the legislation, nonlocal dentists are required to work at least five years in the specified institution as well as pass the licensing exam before they can apply for full registration and practice. If they have demonstrated satisfactory performance for at least five years, they may be exempted from the licensing exam.

There are only 0.37 dentist per 1,000 people in Hong Kong.