FAQ

As announced by the Chief Executive in the Policy Address 2022, the Working Group on Oral Health and Dental Care (Working Group) was established in 2022 for conducting a comprehensive review of the dental services provided or subsidised by the Government. In light of the views of the Working Group, the Government launches the Community Dental Support Programme (CDSP). By collaboration with non-government organisations (NGOs), it aims at enhancing the dental services targeting at the underprivileged group with financial difficulties by expanding service capacity, service points and service scope to promote early identification and timely intervention of dental disease.

To enrol in the CDSP, an individual is required to meet the following criteria:

• is a holder of a valid Hong Kong Identity Card or is a holder of Certificate of Exemption; and
• Current beneficiary/ recipient of:
  • Old Age Living Allowance (OALA) administered by Social Welfare Department (SWD); or
  • Community Care Service Voucher Scheme for the Elderly (CCSV) administered by SWD with Co-payment Category II; or
  • “Integrated Home Care Services (Frail Case)”, “Enhanced Home and Community Care Services” and “Home Support Services” subvented by SWD while paying Level 1 or 2 / with Co-payment Category I or II ; or
  • Medical Fee Waiver put in place by the Hospital Authority; or
  • Homeless certified and referred by registered social workers in designated NGOs; and
• has joined the Electronic Health System (eHealth).

The eligible homeless persons must hold a valid Hong Kong Identity Card, have joined the Electronic Health System (eHealth) and be users of one of the following services of the Social Welfare Department mainly targeted at street sleepers:

• Temporary Shelter;
• Urban Hostels for Single Persons;
• Integrated Services Teams for Street Sleepers; or
• Care and Support Networking Team (only street sleepers are eligible to join the CDSP)

No. Individual of any age who meets the eligibility criteria may enrol in the CDSP.

An eligible person can choose a dental clinic from the participating NGOs and contact the clinic directly to book an appointment to enrol in the CDSP. Alternatively, a needy person can contact a registered social worker who will make arrangements for eligible persons and contact the dental clinics to book an appointment. The homeless can be referred by registered social workers in designated NGOs.

Eligible persons can select a participating dental clinic according to their own choice. The list of dental clinics can be found in the website of the CDSP, with their essential information including practice district and contact information.

In addition, registered social workers also have the list and information of the participating NGO dental clinics.

Eligible persons must bring their (1) completed Application Form (Application Forms are also available at participating dental clinic for use, if necessary), (2) original Hong Kong Identity Card and (3) supporting documents as listed in the Application Form upon enrolment in the CDSP.

Needy persons as assisted by registered social workers shall bring the original Hong Kong Identity Card to the dental clinic on the day of appointment to receive services.

Besides enrolling in the CDSP, CSSA recipients can make use of the Dental Grant under the existing CSSA Scheme, which covers other dental services beyond those provided by the CDSP.

Current recipient of Old Age Living Allowance (OALA) administered by Social Welfare Department (SWD) can present their bank statements or passbooks showing monthly deposits of the allowance for the most recent three consecutive months. These documents will be accepted as valid proof of eligibility.

Yes. Eligible persons can select a suitable participating NGO dental clinic of their own choice to receive services.

The following services will be provided only if the participant is considered suitable based on the findings of the oral health assessment per professional judgement of the attending registered dentist of the chosen NGO dental clinic:

Every 180 days:

• Oral health assessment
• Medication for dental pain relief (if necessary)
• X-ray examination
• Dental filling or tooth extraction as treatment for one tooth (as one “Teeth Filling/ Extraction Quota”), with a maximum of three Teeth Filling/ Extraction Quotas
• Removal of bridge and crown (one bridge or two crowns)

Every 365 days:

• Scaling
• Root canal treatment (one tooth)

Every 5 years or more:

• Fitting of removable dentures (receiving no more than two times of service for each person, with an interval of 5 years or more between each service)

No. Each dental treatment item has separate non-transferrable quota.

At this stage, eligible person can complete all treatments in one session or in several sessions as needed, provided that all treatments are completed within 180 days.

Yes. If the CDSP Participant is considered suitable per professional judgement of the attending registered dentist, the dentist can provide each CDSP Participant with a maximum of three Teeth Filling/ Extraction Quotas within 180 days since the CDSP Participant enrollled in the programme. A “Teeth Filling/ Extraction Quota” is based on one tooth, for the treatment of that tooth.

Eligible persons can receive the following subsidised services again after 180 days (revolving period):

• Oral health assessment
• Medication for dental pain relief (if necessary)
• X-ray examination
• Dental filling or tooth extraction
• Removal of bridge and crown

The revolving period for scaling and root canal treatment is 365 days, and the revolving period for removable dentures is 5 years.

No. The dental treatment quotas allocated for each CDSP Participant in each revolving period must only be used within that period when considered suitable per professional judgement of the attending registered dentist. Any unused quotas cannot be carried over to the next revolving period.

No. The dental treatment quotas are allocated per CDSP Participant and cannot be shared.

Yes. An individual can receive services from both the General Public Session and the CDSP.

No. A CDSP Participant can only receive subsidised services from the same NGO dental clinic within a revolving period, and preferably from the same dentist.

Yes. An eligible person can select an NGO dental clinic different from the one he/she used in the previous revolving period to receive services, only when he/she has no ongoing treatment after the revolving period and they must inform Programme Office their intention to receive subsidised services at a different NGO dental clinic. The eligible person can only receive services from the newly selected clinic after getting official approval.

For suggestions on the NGO dental clinic administration and services, CDSP Participants can directly report to the NGO the services belong. For enquiries, suggestions or complaints on the CDSP, CDSP Participants can contact the Programme Office.

If under the professional judgement of the attending registered dentist that there is a need of medication not for pain relief for the CDSP Participant, such medication fee shall be settled in the own expense of the CDSP Participant.

Attending dentists may advice and provide dental services that fall outside the scope of subsidised services per professional judgement. The dentists should explain to CDSP Participants that such dental services fall outside the scope of the CDSP, inform CDSP Participants of any fees arising from such items and obtain agreement and consent from CDSP Participants to receive and pay for those services. It shall be considered a private arrangement between the NGO dental clinic and the CDSP Participant at the latter’s own expense.

The CDSP service is subsidised by the Government. The CDSP Participant is required to pay an administration fee / co-payment fee only.

The CDSP Participant is required to pay the administration fee directly to the NGO. The administration fee for each Teeth Filling/ Extraction Quota, each scaling, root canal treatment per tooth, and removal of each crown is $50. The administration fee for removal of each bridge is $100.

If the CSDP Participant meets the following eligibility criteria, the administration fee is fully subsidised by the government:

• “Integrated Home Care Services (Frail Case)”/ “Enhanced Home and Community Care Services” or “Home Support Services” subvented by SWD (Level 1 fee charged or Co-Payment Category); or
• Medical Fee Waiver (Full) of the Hospital Authority (including recipients of OALA aged 75 or above); or
• The homeless.

Participants shall pay the co-payment fee directly to the NGO for the fitting of removable dentures. The co-payment fee for each set of removable denture is $1,000. If the CSDP participant meets the preceding eligibility criteria, the co-payment fee for each set of removable denture is $500.

Each set of removable dentures refers to either upper or lower dentures. Fitting both upper and lower removable dentures at the same time is considered receiving the removable dentures ¬fitting service once, the co-payment fee counts each for the upper and lower dentures.

The administration fee is fully subsidised by the Government for the following groups:

• Aged 75 or above Old Age Living Allowance (OALA) beneficiary; or
• “Integrated Home Care Services (Frail Case)”, “Enhanced Home and Community Care Services” and “Home Support Services” subvented by SWD while paying Level 1 / with Co-payment Category I; or
• Beneficiary of Medical Fee Waiver (Full) of the Hospital Authority (including recipients of OALA aged 75 or above); or
• The homeless

Yes.

No. In each revolving period, a CDSP Participant is subsidised for necessary medication for dental pain relief once based on the findings of the oral health assessment.

No. In each revolving period, a CDSP Participant is subsidised for necessary medication for dental pain relief once based on the findings of the oral health assessment.

The subsidised service of fitting of removable dentures is only available to eligible persons with fewer than 20 remaining teeth, who must first be assessed by a dentist as having difficulties in eating or chewing and their eating abilities could be effectively restored by the fitting of removable dentures.

Participants shall pay the co-payment fee directly to the NGO for the fitting of removable dentures. The co-payment fee for each set of removable denture is $1,000.

If the CSDP participant meets the following eligibility criteria:

• “Integrated Home Care Services (Frail Case)”/ “Enhanced Home and Community Care Services” or “Home Support Services” subvented by SWD (Level 1 fee charged or Co-Payment Category); or
• Medical Fee Waiver (Full) of the Hospital Authority (including recipients of OALA aged 75 or above); or
• The homeless.

the co-payment fee for each set of removable denture is $500. Each set of removable dentures refers to either upper or lower dentures.

Fitting both upper and lower removable dentures at the same time is considered receiving the removable dentures fitting service once

Each programme participant can receive no more than two times of service, with an interval of 5 years or more between each service. The receipt of removable dentures services under the Community Care Fund Elderly Dental Assistance Programme (EDAP) will also be counted within the quotas.

Therefore, if participants have fitted removable denture under the EDAP within the last 5 years, or have received the service twice, they will not be eligible to receive removable denture fitting services under this programme.

This fall outside the scope of subsidised services in CDSP. Participants have to self arrange and pay for these services at their own expense.

Participants can choose to use the “Teeth Filling/ Extraction Quotas”.

It shall be considered a private arrangement between the NGO dental clinic and the CDSP Participant. Participants have to pay for these services at their own expense.