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Tooth decay in preschool children, or early childhood caries (ECC), is one of the most prevalent diseases in children. It was reported that approximately half a population of 5-year-old Hong Kong children are suffering from ECC, with more than 90% of ECC left untreated. 

Supported by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) launches the “Jockey Club Children Oral Health Project”. The project provides free-of-charge dental check-up to over 180,000 children in local kindergartens starting from 2020/21 academic year. A press conference was held today (10 November 2020) for the official launch of the project.

“Hong Kong owns a high prevalence of tooth decay among preschool children, although she is an international city for decades.” Professor Chun Hung Chu, the Project-in-charge and Associate Dean (External Relations) of the Faculty of Dentistry of HKU, shared, “Our team often receives severe cases that 3-4-year-old children have serious tooth decay and even pulpal infection. These oral illnesses cause a long-term impact on the growth and development of children.

“We do want to deliver a message to the public that tooth decay is preventable. Those negative impacts can be minimised if children receive timely check-up and treatments.”

The Hong Kong Jockey Club believes that prevention is better than cure, and has been a long-time supporter of the city’s medical and health development. As such, it has provided funding to support the Faculty of Dentistry of HKU in implementing the “Jockey Club Children Oral Health Project”. The project provides dental check-up and tooth decay treatment to children of kindergartens in Hong Kong. Parent seminars and teacher training will also be held, hoping to work together to improve children's oral health.

Jockey Club Children Oral Health Project provides dental check-up and silver diamine fluoride (SDF) solution treatment to children of kindergartens in Hong Kong to control existing cavities and to prevent further decay. Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) solution has been proven effective in slowing down tooth decay, and safe to use in children causing no significant impact on general health. It has been widely adopted in countries such as the USA, Australia, Japan, etc. When cavities with SDF applied turn black, which is an expected outcome, it indicates that the active decay is stopped successfully.

Apart from that, the project also organises seminars about oral health education to parents that dentists highlight the common oral health-related problems amongst preschool children and the findings of children’s oral health status. To the parents whose children have severe tooth decay, the project dentists provide individual consultation on how to improve children’s oral health. Besides, the project offers training to teachers from the kindergartens to empower them to deliver oral health messages to children in school effectively.

Selected schools were invited to participate in the pioneer scheme of the project in academic year 2019/20. The Faculty of Dentistry of HKU collected schools’ feedbacks and extended the services to all kindergartens in Hong Kong starting from the 2020/21 academic year. Schools are invited to participate in the project on a voluntary basis. Professor the Hon Sophia Chan Siu-chee, JP, Secretary for Food and Health of Food and Health Bureau, who was the guest of honor of the event, also sent her blessings on this territory-wide dental outreach service. She agreed that the project echoed the healthcare policy of the government.

Both participated schools and parents are satisfied with the services. Ms. Cheng, Kam Mui Asme, principal of Christian Alliance Louey Choy Kwan Lok Kindergarten, appreciated the philosophy of the project which fostered positive attitudes of oral care to children. Ms. Kwok Kwai Mui, principal of Shun Tak Fraternal Association Tuen Mun Leung Lee Sau Yu Kindergarten said, “it is beneficial to arrange regular check-up for children that parents can handle promptly once any oral health issue is found from the kids.”

Professor Thomas Flemmig, the Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry of HKU, said that the project was a highlight of the Faculty of Dentistry’s outreach programmes. “The objective of the “The Jockey Club Children Oral Health Project” is to prevent and treat tooth decay and get young children accustomed to dental services. We expect the project to set the foundation of children for life-long oral health, as well as to advance oral health and well-being in Hong Kong.”

Let us safeguard our children by oral care!

Appendix: The level of tooth decay experience among 5-year old children and the percentage of children affected

Remarks:
1. The surveys in 2001 and 2011 were on territory-wide basis. The survey conducted in 2016 referred to the ratio of the populations in Hong Kong that seven kindergartens in total from New Territories, Kowloon and Hong Kong Island were invited to patriciate in the survey.

2. The dmft index is used to present the tooth decay experience in primary teeth in the population. The number of teeth with untreated decay (cavity) is referred to as dt (decayed teeth). The number of teeth with decay in the past but already been repaired by restorative procedures is referred to as ft (filled teeth). The number of teeth that were removed (extracted) due to decay is referred to as mt (missing teeth). The sum of dt, mt and ft is referred to as the dmft value, which reflects the total number of teeth that has been affected by tooth decay in the past and at present.

Source:
1. Oral Health Survey 2001 & 2011 by Department of Health, HKSAR
2. An oral health survey conducted by the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Hong Kong in 2016
(Duangthip, D., Chen, K. J., Gao, S. S., Lo, E. C. M., & Chu, C. H. (2019). Early childhood caries among 3‐to 5‐year‐old children in Hong Kong. International dental journal, 69(3), 230-236.)

About Jockey Club Children Oral Health Project
Supported by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Hong Kong launches the three-year “Jockey Club Children Oral Health Project” in 2019. This project aims to control existing cavities and to prevent further decay among Hong Kong’s preschool children by providing dental check-up and silver diamine fluoride (SDF) solution treatment, as well as oral health education to parents and teachers. Its goal is to improve the oral health of preschool children.

To learn more about the project, please visit:
Website: www.jccohp.hku.hk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jccohp
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jccohp
Videos (In Cantonese) broadcast at Press Conference:
“Do you remember your first time visitng dentist?” :
https://youtu.be/bYPGFTNucO8

Speech by Professor the Hon Sophia Chan Siu-chee, JP, Secretary for Food and Health of Food and Health Bureau:
https://youtu.be/d49yNhJHkrE

Jockey Club Children Oral Health Project:
https://youtu.be/k8-z_ScWKJI

or contact the project team at 2859 0547 / Whatsapp 5313 0081   

For media enquiries, please contact:
Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong
Ms. Melody Tang / Miss Tammy Tai
Tel: 2859 0494 /  9155 0980
Email: melodytang@hku.hk 
Miss Tammy Tai
Tel: 2859 0547
Email:  tammytai@hku.hk