To enhance the clinical experience in real-life work settings of local dentistry graduates, the Government has proposed amendments to the Dental Registration Ordinance, which include a new requirement, whereby the new graduates will need to undergo a one-year internship before obtaining full registration.
Applied knowledge
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As with the current mentorship programme the Department of Health is offering to the new recruits, the proposed one-year internships will require dentistry graduates to rotate through different positions within the department or specified institutions.
Department of Health Dental Officer Dr Eunice Liu welcomes the chance to apply her theoretical knowledge through treating a wide range of cases under the department’s mentorship programme.
Department of Health Dental Officer Dr Andy Sun experiences various challenges under the mentorship programme, including how to provide dental care in different settings, such as to patients who are bedbound.
Department of Health Senior Dental Officer Dr Maggie Lau says internships provide the graduates with the opportunity to gain exposure to a real-life work setting and prepares them for their future career.
Department of Health Principal Dental Officer Dr Rony Cho says the Government’s proposed internship requirement would enable new dentists to better adapt to the practice in Hong Kong, thereby safeguarding patients’ safety to a greater extent.
Dr Eunice Liu is just one of several newly recruited dentistry graduates taking part in the Government’s one-year mentorship programme. Having graduated from the University of Hong Kong’s Bachelor of Dental Surgery programme last year, Dr Liu said she was aware of the mentorship programme while at university.
Dr Liu has been working at the Department of Health for about three months and welcomed the chance to apply her theoretical knowledge through treating a wide range of cases.
“I have mainly been working in the government dental clinics for now. In our daily work, we need to handle a large number of clinical cases, including emergency cases, which helps me to gain more clinical exposure and also would be a great help to my professional development in the future.”
Dr Andy Sun also graduated last year and joined the department six months ago. He has been working across different areas, from oral maxillofacial surgery to public hospital dental units.
Dr Sun experienced various challenges, including how to provide dental care in different settings, such as to patients who are bedbound.
“Because the patient is lying on a bed rather than sitting in a dental chair, you have to adjust your angulation, like how to perform different kinds of treatment. For example, simple extraction or suturing.
“This is something that we have to adjust ourselves to, for the positioning especially, before we can provide the treatment.”
Comprehensive experience
As with the current mentorship programme the Department of Health is offering to the new recruits, the internships will require the graduates to rotate through different positions within the Department of Health or specified institutions, including general dentistry, community special dental service, school dental care service and hospital dental service.
Department of Health Senior Dental Officer Dr Maggie Lau highlighted the positive impact the internship programme would have on the graduates’ career development as they would have the opportunity to gain exposure to a real-life work setting.
“Under rotation to different dental services allows them to prepare themselves for their future career, such as specialised training.
“This contributes to the overall development of the Hong Kong dental profession, ensuring the professional standard and also the patients’ safety. This also allows new graduates to have a better understanding of the needs of citizens.”
Department of Health Principal Dental Officer Dr Rony Cho supplemented that through working with experienced qualified dentists, the graduates could learn how to handle complex and urgent cases independently.
He also noted that the proposed internship requirement would enable new dentists to better adapt to the practice in Hong Kong, thereby safeguarding patients' safety to a greater extent.
“However, considering that local dental students under the Bachelor of Dental Surgery programme about to graduate this summer have started to seek employment, the internship requirement will apply to the class of year 2025 and thereafter at the earliest.”
Talent acquisition
In addition to the one-year internship for local dental graduates, the Government has also proposed to introduce new pathways for admitting qualified non-locally trained dentists to practise in Hong Kong and put in place a statutory registration system for ancillary dental workers.
As with the current mentorship programme the Department of Health is offering to the new recruits, the proposed one-year internships will require dentistry graduates to rotate through different positions within the department or specified institutions.
Department of Health Dental Officer Dr Eunice Liu welcomes the chance to apply her theoretical knowledge through treating a wide range of cases under the department’s mentorship programme.
Department of Health Dental Officer Dr Andy Sun experiences various challenges under the mentorship programme, including how to provide dental care in different settings, such as to patients who are bedbound.
Department of Health Senior Dental Officer Dr Maggie Lau says internships provide the graduates with the opportunity to gain exposure to a real-life work setting and prepares them for their future career.
Department of Health Principal Dental Officer Dr Rony Cho says the Government’s proposed internship requirement would enable new dentists to better adapt to the practice in Hong Kong, thereby safeguarding patients’ safety to a greater extent.
"Immersive Hong Kong" roving exhibition in Dubai fostering mutual relations and exchanges
The "Immersive Hong Kong" roving exhibition is now being held in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), by the Information Services Department (ISD) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) in collaboration with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Dubai (Dubai ETO) to promote business and cultural relations and exchanges between the two places.
"Since the establishment of the Dubai ETO in 2021, we have witnessed ever closer ties between Hong Kong and the Middle East, with the Chief Executive and various Principal Officials from the HKSARG having visited the Middle East to strengthen bilateral ties and explore opportunities for collaboration on all fronts. We will continue to engage stakeholders in the Gulf Cooperation Council for deepening relations and telling the good stories of Hong Kong in the region," said the Director-General of the Dubai ETO, Mr Damian Lee.
"In this regard, we have brought the 'Immersive Hong Kong' exhibition to Dubai to introduce to the cosmopolitan population here the wonderful and exciting facets of Hong Kong," he added.
The Minister of State for Foreign Trade of the UAE, His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, who visited the exhibition today (December 24) at the invitation of the Dubai ETO, said the exhibition provides an important platform for the people of the UAE to explore the potential of Hong Kong across tourism, business and investment sectors.
Highlighting the city's distinctive role as a gateway to Mainland China, he emphasised that strengthening investment and trade partnerships with Hong Kong plays a key role in supporting broader strategic co-operation between the UAE and China, whilst helping to unlock new business opportunities between the Emirati-Chinese business communities.
The Consul General of the UAE in Hong Kong, His Excellency Shaikh Saoud Ali M. A. Almualla, who earlier visited the exhibition, also noted the huge potential for closer bilateral ties.
"There are many similarities between the UAE and Hong Kong, such as economic ambition, cultural inclusivity, and a vision of continued growth and global collaboration. Both places offer a thriving environment for business and personal development, making them ideal partners in fostering deeper trade and investment ties across regions," he said.
Themed "Hong Kong - Where the World Looks Ahead", the "Immersive Hong Kong" roving exhibition is part of the ISD's external promotional campaign to showcase the city's new attractions, advantages and opportunities. It is now on display at The Beach, Jumeirah Beach Residence, until January 5, 2025. Admission is free.
More information on the exhibition is available on the dedicated page of the Brand Hong Kong website (www.brandhk.gov.hk/en/campaign/hkpromotion-middle-east) as well as the website of the Dubai ETO (www.hketodubai.gov.hk/en/index.html).
"Immersive Hong Kong" roving exhibition in Dubai fostering mutual relations and exchanges Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
"Immersive Hong Kong" roving exhibition in Dubai fostering mutual relations and exchanges Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
"Immersive Hong Kong" roving exhibition in Dubai fostering mutual relations and exchanges Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
"Immersive Hong Kong" roving exhibition in Dubai fostering mutual relations and exchanges Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
"Immersive Hong Kong" roving exhibition in Dubai fostering mutual relations and exchanges Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases