Hong Kong’s health authorities have announced a new oral health program for Hong Kong’s pre-school children, offering them free annual oral screening and preventive dental care on campus.

Children aged 32 months or older who are studying in participating kindergartens are eligible to receive the service free of charge through the Outreach Oral Health Programme for Pre-school Children (OOHP), which will be launched on Sept 1, the Department of Health in a statement.

Eligible students may receive the service once a year. It is estimated that tens of thousands of children and their parents will benefit from the scheme.

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Professional dental teams from service providers designated by the special administrative region government will visit kindergartens to provide students with free oral screenings, oral health risk assessments and fluoride application as appropriate to prevent or control tooth decay.

Parents will receive a report on their child's oral health and individualized oral care advice.

The dental teams will also conduct oral health talks for kindergarten teaching staff to help them convey oral care messages to the children more effectively.

A total of 23 service providers are participating in the OOHP, covering all 18 districts in Hong Kong.

Under the school-based program, service providers will take the initiative contact the kindergartens to introduce the program and arrange dates for outreach services.

“Parents only need to apply for the OOHP through their child's kindergarten. Parents may inquire directly at their child's kindergarten if they have any questions,” reads the statement.

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The service providers began contacting kindergartens in June to finalize the dates for outreach services in the new school year. As of mid-August, 680 (over 70 percent) of 949 kindergartens in Hong Kong have participated in the OOHP.

OOHP is part of the government’s broader effort to provide continuous oral healthcare support for children all the way from pre-school through the school-age stages.

Apart from the School Dental Care Service that covers all local primary school students, the Department of Health started the Brighter Smiles Baby Program since 2023 to serve young children under three. The introduction of the OOHP helps bridge the Baby Programme and the School Dental Care Service.