Services under the Elderly Dental Assistance Programme funded by the Community Care Fund (CCF) will be enhanced starting July 2, the Health Bureau announced today.

The bureau explained that to tie in with the Government’s drive for developing prevention-oriented dental services with the goal of enhancing the overall level of citizens’ oral health, the programme will be strengthened with the essential requirement of having removable dentures fitting to be revised.

Starting from July 2, eligible elderly persons may receive dental check-ups, scaling and polishing, tooth extractions, fillings, X-ray examinations, removal of bridges or crowns, and root canal treatment even if they are unfit for denture fitting.

The bureau said that the new arrangements will be applicable to applications submitted on or after July 2 and the eligibility criteria of the programme will remain unchanged.

The target beneficiaries are low-income elderly persons who are either current recipients of the Old Age Living Allowance (OALA), or users of home care services for the elderly under the subvention of the Social Welfare Department (SWD). They must also fulfil other related eligibility criteria.

In addition, only eligible elderly persons aged 75 years or above who have received dental services under the programme at least five years ago will be allowed to apply for service a second time.

From July 2, elderly persons receiving the OALA may follow the prevailing practice in making applications at any of the district service units participating in the programme. 

Meanwhile, users of home care services for the elderly under the SWD subvention can continue to make applications via their respective service teams. 

The bureau made it clear that such elderly individuals will not be required to make any payments to the participating dentists after receiving necessary dental treatment services.

The Hong Kong Dental Association (HKDA), as the programme’s implementing agent, will disburse the subsidies direct to the dentists providing treatment services through its Project Office. 

At present, there are more than 850 participating dentists in the programme and the Project Office will continue to enlist more dentists to join.

Copies of leaflets about the new arrangements, eligibility criteria and application procedures will be available for collection at various district service units starting July 2.

The 200-plus district service units can be found across the city, covering elderly centres, community centres and dental clinics that directly process applications.

Relevant information and the list of district service units will be made available on the CCF and HKDA websites.

For enquiries, call 2525 8198.