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如有查詢,可致電熱線 54063928 或電郵 info@lovingsmilesfoundation.org。
The Food and Health Bureau fully recognizes that the patients with intellectual disability (ID) have special dentistry needs and would like to explore a feasible and effective operation model by launching a four-year “Pilot Project on Dental Service for Patients with Intellectual Disability” (also known as “Loving Smiles Service” ) starting from August 2013. While with the prior understanding of the FHB, the Loving Smiles Service has ceased to accept new cases with effect from 20 February 2017, now we are pleased to announce that the Food and Health Bureau has injected additional fund to (Loving Smiles Service) to complete the treatment needs of the patients who have been enrolled before 20 February 2017. It is anticipated that all these treatments will take another year.
Loving Smiles Service is a pilot dental service for the persons with intellectual disability, commissioned by the Food & Health Bureau (FHB), organized by the Hong Kong Dental Association and the Hong Kong Special Care Dentistry Association, operated by the Hong Kong Special Care Dentistry Association, the Loving Smiles Foundation Limited and the Evangel Hospital. Its service targets are the persons with intellectual disability (mild/moderate/severe) aged 18 or above, who are receiving a) Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) or b) Disability Allowance from the Social Welfare Department or c) medical fees waiver issued by the Hospital Authority.
They need to be referred by their rehabilitation service units of the welfare NGOs (such as residential hostels and day activity centres for the intellectually disabled), to the participating dental clinic for initial check-up. There is a portable hoist which can help those in wheelchairs to have dental treatment. According to their individual conditions, they would then be arranged to receive other necessary dental services, through behavioral management, under intravenous (IV) sedation or general anesthesia (GA) in a hospital setting with adequate medical support. When treatment is completed, oral health education and oral hygiene instruction would be given to the caregivers to help maintain the oral health of the patient. At the moment, there is only the Loving Smiles Special Care Dental Centre providing the Loving Smiles Service.
The eligible participants (refer to those persons on or above 18 years old with intellectual disability) should bring the following documents when they take the first visit: 1) Hong Kong Identity Card, 2) Proof of intellectual disability, 3) Proof of obtaining Comprehensive Social Security Assistance, 4) Proof of obtaining Disability Allowance. (If parents or guardians collect the Disability Allowance on behalf of the patients, please fill in the declaration form (click here to download) as the proof.)
The coverage of the FHB sponsorship includes a dental check-up and all the basic dental treatment needed. Should the person with ID require IV sedation or GA service for dental treatment, this would be included in the sponsorship. Additionally, if the patient requires escort service for treatment visits, the escort fees could be reimbursed at a highest hourly rate of HK$70. Those who want to apply the reimbursement of escort fee, should fill in the escort fee reimbursement form (click here to download) and send to Shops E13-15, G/F, Cho Yiu Centre, Cho Yiu Chuen, Kwai Chung, N.T., Hong Kong with the official receipts of the fees incurred. Those who are wheel-chair bound will also have the hired transport service reimbursed for their treatment visits.
For enquiries, please call the hotline at 54063928 or email info@lovingsmilesfoundation.org.