Dental care is important at every stage of life. Beyond treatment, equipping the public with the knowledge and habits necessary to care for their teeth plays an equally important role in promoting long-term oral health within the community. For years, The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has been a strong supporter of public health development. As early as the 1950s and 1960s, it funded the construction of Jockey Club clinics in various districts across Hong Kong. In recent years, it has continued to support a range of dental services and education initiatives through its Charities Trust, including the Jockey Club Children Oral Health Project and the Jockey Club Dental Care Programme. These programs provide dental examinations, treatment and oral health education to those in need, while helping safeguard the community’s oral health.
The Jockey Club Children Oral Health Project, implemented by the Faculty of Dentistry of The University of Hong Kong, has been serving kindergartens since 2019. The program enables kindergarten children to receive dental examinations in the familiar environment of their schools. Through oral health education and training for parents and teachers, it helps identify and manage tooth decay risks at an early stage while fostering good oral hygiene habits from childhood. Over the past six-and-a-half years, the project has served 810 kindergartens and benefited approximately 190,000 children across Hong Kong. Data show that the prevalence of tooth decay among participating children has fallen from 38 percent to 28 percent, while the average number of decayed teeth per child has decreased from 1.5 to 1.0. These results demonstrate the significant impact of the program’s annual outreach examinations and treatment services. The program has also earned the trust of schools and parents and has successfully received the government’s recognition for adoption beyond the project period, ensuring that kindergarten students will continue to benefit.
Professor Chu Chun-hung, Project-in-charge of the Jockey Club Children Oral Health Project, believes the initiative has been highly successful. He said, “For young children, visiting a dentist can often be a frightening experience. By providing outreach services in kindergartens, the project significantly reduces anxiety and fear associated with dental care, as children can receive services in a familiar school environment. More than 95 percent of participating children were able to complete dental examinations without anxiety or fear. This is a very encouraging achievement.”
In addition to cultivating good oral hygiene habits from an early age, HKJC also recognizes the oral health needs of people at different stages of life, particularly the challenges faced by low-income families in accessing dental services.
To address these needs, in 2024 HKJC funded the establishment of three Jockey Club Primary Dental Care Clinics, in Tai Kok Tsui, Yuen Long and Sham Shui Po, operated by Lok Sin Tong Kowloon, Pok Oi Hospital and St. James’ Settlement, respectively. At the same time, it launched the five-year Jockey Club Dental Care Programme, which provides eligible residents with subsidized dental services, oral health care and health education. The initiative aims to bring preventive dental care into the community and encourage regular dental check-ups and preventive practices.
Zhang and her son, Hong, are among the program’s beneficiaries. Zhang did not previously undergo regular dental check-ups, while Hong rarely visited a dentist due to limited oral health knowledge and concerns about treatment costs. After being referred to the program by a social worker, both received oral examinations, scaling services and instruction on proper tooth-cleaning techniques from dental hygienists. Zhang was full of praise for the program: “I used to think scaling would be very painful and scary. This time, I found it manageable. All the staff were very attentive, and I felt comfortable and happy after the treatment.” She believes the program not only enables her family to access professional dental care at an affordable cost, but more importantly helps them develop greater awareness of oral health, improve their oral hygiene habits and prevent dental problems before they arise.
As the saying goes, “Prevention is better than cure.” HKJC is committed to continuing its support for forward-looking, evidence-based initiatives and to working with partners across sectors to advance primary healthcare development. Through these efforts, it aims to encourage the public to adopt healthy habits from an early age and enjoy the benefits for years to come.
HKJC Special
