The government announced on 15 December 2025 that seven public dental clinics currently run by the Department of Health (DH) will be integrated with the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) service under the Hospital Authority (HA) from 6 February 2026, as part of broader healthcare reforms aimed at improving specialist dental care and service delivery.

According to an official statement by the Hong Kong government, this change will bring hospital dental clinics into the HA’s management while ensuring continuity of care. 

The integration follows the government’s latest healthcare policy direction outlined in the Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address, which seeks to clarify and streamline responsibilities among the HA, the DH and the Primary Healthcare Commission. Under the new arrangements, the DH will sharpen its focus on public health policy, regulation and enforcement, while clinical services such as the Hospital Dental Service (HDS) are gradually transferred to the HA and, where applicable, the Primary Healthcare Commission. 

The seven clinics set to join the HA’s OMS service, often referred to as Oral Maxillofacial Surgery and Dental Clinics (OMS&DCs), are all located within public hospitals and provide specialist care for in-patients as well as patients with complex oral health needs and dental emergencies. The facilities include Queen Mary Hospital, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital, Tuen Mun Hospital, Prince of Wales Hospital and North District Hospital, the government release said. 

Under the reform plan, the seven OMS&DCs will continue to operate at their current sites, but their dental care and maxillofacial surgery services will become part of the HA’s existing specialist offerings. Of the seven facilities, six are already connected to OMS services within HA hospitals, and the integration will further streamline care so that patients have a more unified experience across services. 

The move is intended to optimise service delivery by consolidating dental and maxillofacial surgical care under a single authority that specialises in hospital-based clinical services. Officials said this will help patients requiring specialist oral care, including emergency dental treatment, complex surgeries and care for those with special oral healthcare needs, receive coordinated care without unnecessary administrative barriers. 

To ensure that patients do not lose continuity of care, the DH and HA confirmed that all existing appointment schedules and patient medical records, including clinical records, X-ray files, clinical photos and dental casts, will be transferred to the HA for appointments on or after 6 February 2026. Patients who prefer not to have their records transferred must notify the DH by 16 January 2026; otherwise, scheduled appointments after the integration date will be cancelled. In such cases, individuals will need a new referral for future HA dental and OMS services, and fees may apply. 

Health officials said the registrations and work schedules will move smoothly so that ongoing care is not disrupted. They also emphasised that the clinics will remain open at their current physical locations, reassuring patients that they can continue to seek dental and oral health services without relocation. 

Residents with questions about the transition were advised to contact the DH or their dental clinics for specific information, including how to manage records, appointments and referrals during the handover period.