Concern Group Warns That Hong Kong Elderly Missing Dental Care
Respect Elderly Rights Concern Group has warned that elderly people in Hong Kong are missing out on dental care, with some forced to queue at 2 o’clock in the morning to see a dentist.
Au Woon-Chun, 73, speaking for the concern group, said that some people are so desperate to see a dentist that they start queuing at 2am and wait overnight to get an appointment; many older people cannot afford to see a private dentist but there are few public clinics and there are lengthy waiting lists.
At the moment there are just 11 public clinics, including one on Hong Kong island and two in Kowloon, and the demand for treatment is simply too high, especially as the clinic is open only on selected mornings or afternoons and the rest of the time the clinics are closed to the public and open only to civil servants.
Tang Ka-Piu, lawmaker for the Federation of Trade Unions, said that access to dental care is a major problem for older people.
A survey of more than 1400 elderly residents showed that dental problems are very common; 80 per cent have a problem with their teeth or gums and 70 per cent required false teeth.
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