Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ17: Dental services and charges in Hong Kong
Following is a question by the Hon Li Kwok-ying and a written reply by the
Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council
today (November 16):
Question :
Some Mainland dentists have recently placed in Hong Kong newspapers and
magazines advertisements detailing their services and charges. However, Hong
Kong dentists are not allowed to do the same. In this connection, will the
Government inform this Council whether it:
(a) has assessed the impact of advertisements of Mainland health care services
on the providers of medical services in Hong Kong; and
(b) will discuss with the dental profession ways to further enhance the
transparency of dental services and charges in Hong Kong, e.g. relaxing the
restrictions on advertising in Hong Kong by local dentists; if so; of the
details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply :
Madam President,
As in the case of many professionals in Hong Kong, a self regulatory system is
in place, governing our dental profession. The Dentists Registration Ordinance
(the Ordinance) provides the legislative framework for the registration of
dental practitioners in Hong Kong as well as the administration and governing of
their professional practice and conduct. The Ordinance provides for the
establishment of the Hong Kong Dental Council (HKDC), which is statutorily
charged to register dental practitioners in Hong Kong and regulate the practice
of the profession.
HKDC has developed a Code of Professional Discipline, under which guidelines are
promulgated to set out the professional behaviour expected of a dental
practitioner, how they should conduct their business, including the provision of
practice information, advertising and display of notice to inform patients about
their right to know the treatment cost.
(a) HKDC has not conducted any assessment on the effect of advertising
activities by dentists from outside Hong Kong on the providers of dental service
in Hong Kong. We understand from HKDC that it will however keep in view the
situation and will consider undertaking such an assessment if the Council
considers the situation so warrants.
(b) As regards the transparency of dental services and fees, the HKDC has
recently conducted an opinion survey targeting at registered dentists on whether
the existing guidelines on display of fee schedule should be relaxed. The survey
revealed that the majority of respondents (66.1%) considered that a dentist
should be allowed to display in his clinic a price list of his consultation /
treatment services. We understand that the Council is studying the result of the
opinion survey and will consider the need to review the relevant guidelines.
In the opinion survey, respondents were also asked whether it is appropriate to
relax the existing regulation on advertising by registered dentists in Hong Kong
(and if so the extent of the relaxation), and whether the relaxation of the
existing regulation on advertising by registered dentists will be effective in
counteracting the advertising activities by dentists from outside Hong Kong. The
result showed that the majority of the respondents consider that the existing
regulation should remain unchanged (69.1%) and that the relaxation of existing
regulation will not be effective in counteracting advertising activities by
dentists from outside Hong Kong (74.2%). In view of the result, HKDC currently
has no plan to further relax the regulation in respect of advertising.
Ends/Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Issued at HKT 14:20
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