Department of Health Launches Free Oral Health Services for Pre-school Children Starting from September 1

DH to launch Outreach Oral Health Programme for Pre-school Children on September 1 to provide free oral health services to all kindergarten students on campus

The Department of Health (DH) announced today (August 24) that a new "Outreach Oral Health Programme for Pre-school Children (OOHP)" will be launched on September 1. Professional dental teams from service providers designated by the Government will visit kindergartens to provide students with free oral screening and preventive dental care on campus. The DH called on kindergartens and parents across Hong Kong to actively participate in the OOHP, working together to help children nurture good oral hygiene habits from an early age.

Children aged 32 months or older who are studying in participating kindergartens are eligible to receive the service free of charge through the OOHP. Eligible students may receive the service once a year. It is estimated that tens of thousands of children and their parents will benefit from the OOHP.

Designated service providers will send professional dental teams to kindergartens to provide participating students with free outreach oral screenings, oral health risk assessments and fluoride application as appropriate to prevent or control tooth decay. The teams will also provide parents with a report on their child's oral health and individualised oral care advice. Additionally, the professional dental teams will conduct oral health talks for kindergarten teaching staff to help them convey oral care messages to the children more effectively, thereby helping them nurture good daily habits from an early age.

The OOHP is a school-based initiative. Service providers will proactively contact the kindergartens to introduce the programme and arrange dates for outreach services. Parents only need to apply for the OOHP through their child's kindergarten. Parents may inquire directly at their child's kindergarten if they have any questions.

A total of 23 service providers are participating in the OOHP, covering all 18 districts in Hong Kong. The service providers began contacting kindergartens in June to finalise the dates for outreach services in the new school year. As of mid-August, 680 (over 70 per cent) of 949 kindergartens in Hong Kong have participated in the OOHP. Kindergartens interested in participating in the OOHP may contact the DH (email: am3_cds@dh.gov.hk).

Since June 2023, the DH's Brighter Smiles Baby Programme (Baby Programme) has served young children aged 0 to 3. The Baby Programme provides primary oral healthcare services for the prevention of dental diseases in young children and offers education to parents. From April 2025, the Baby Programme has been expanded in phases to include young children aged 0 to 3 using the services of the DH's Maternal and Child Health Centres. The introduction of the OOHP helps bridge the Baby Programme and the School Dental Care Service that covers all local primary school students. Together, these three initiatives provide continuous and seamless oral healthcare support for children all the way from pre-school through the school-age stages, creating a comprehensive safety net for their oral health.

The Government's oral health policies aim to enable all Hong Kong citizens to improve their oral hygiene habits and lifestyles. By adopting the strategies of developing community-wide preventive primary oral healthcare while providing essential dental care services targeting underprivileged groups, the Government strives to help citizens achieve prevention, early identification and timely intervention in tackling dental diseases.

The Department of Health (DH) announced today (August 24) that a new "Outreach Oral Health Programme for Pre-school Children" will be launched on September 1. Professional dental teams from service providers designated by the Government will visit kindergartens to provide students with free oral screening and preventive dental care on campus. Photo shows the Consultant in-charge of the Dental Services of the DH, Dr Kitty Hse (centre); Senior Dental Officer (Oral Health Promotion) Dr Alex Chau (left); and Senior Dental Officer (Community Dental Service) Dr Rico Chu (right) at the press conference. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

CCIDA sponsors industry to set up Hong Kong Pavilion at Shanghai International Children's Book Fair

The Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau sponsored Innovative Entreprenuear Association to set up the "Go! Illustrators - Hong Kong Pavilion" at Shanghai International Children's Book Fair 2026 (CCBF), held at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre from November 13 to 15. The pavilion exhibited the works published or created by 30 Hong Kong picture book illustrators under the programmes sponsored by CCIDA, and assisted them to explore the Chinese Mainland and overseas markets. The Hong Kong Pavilion attracted around 40,000 visitors during its three-day fair period.

Eight of the participating illustrators were selected under the third edition of Go! Illustrators - Hong Kong Picture Book Illustrators at International Book Fairs Promotion Scheme (Go! Illustrators) funded by CCIDA. The scheme supported the selected illustrators for participating in the Bologna Children's Book Fair in Italy in April this year, to broaden their international horizons. In addition to showcasing their works at CCBF, the illustrators also hosted on-site sharing sessions, and visited various publishers to gain insights into the potential of the different markets and explore businessopportunities.

The Go! Illustrators also funded the selected illustrators to create new artworks and participate in international picture book or illustration competitions to enhance their global visibility. Among them, the local illustrator, Jess Lau, stood out at the 2026 Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition organised by CCBF, with her entry "The Whale Who Came Home". The artwork was shortlisted among the top 50 from over 2 000 entries across 73 countries and regions, showcasing Hong Kong's creative strength to the global industry.

The Hong Kong Pavilion also featured the eight illustrators selected under the 2nd edition of Go! Illustrators, and the original picture books by another 14 Hong Kong and two Chinese Mainland illustrators published in Hong Kong under the "Hong Kong Picture Book Publication Publishing Support Programme", sponsored by CCIDA, introducing children's book publishers from around the world to outstanding Hong Kong picture books. For more details on the "Go! Illustrators - Hong Kong Pavilion", please visit: www.facebook.com/Go.illustrators.

CCIDA sponsors industry to set up Hong Kong Pavilion at Shanghai International Children's Book Fair Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

CCIDA sponsors industry to set up Hong Kong Pavilion at Shanghai International Children's Book Fair Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

CCIDA sponsors industry to set up Hong Kong Pavilion at Shanghai International Children's Book Fair Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases