DH urges public to be cautious of fraudulent advertisement regarding "Government dental implant subsidy scheme"
The Department of Health (DH) today (September 18) urged the public to be cautious of fraudulent advertisement on social media claiming that the Government has launched a "dental implant subsidy scheme for people aged 50 and older".
The Department of Health, Photo source: reference image
The DH clarified that it has not launched such scheme. The case has been reported to the Police. The social media platform has also been informed to follow up on the fraudulent advertisement. Members of the public who have clicked on any unknown hyperlink of the advertisement or provided his/her personal information to any suspicious website should contact the Police immediately.
A dental implant is a biocompatible (e.g. titanium) structure embedded in the jawbone, It is used to support false teeth such as crowns, bridges or dentures, to replace a lost tooth, or in combination with bridges or dentures to replace multiple or all lost teeth. Generally, a dental implant requires an oral surgical procedure. Depending on the general and oral health conditions, not everybody is suitable to receive implant treatment. The DH reminded the public that if they decide to have dental implant treatment outside Hong Kong, they should pay attention to the following points:
- verify the actual address of the clinic where the treatment will be performed and the background and credentials of the attending dentist;
- request the local registration number and proof of qualifications of the attending dentist, and verify them with the official regulatory authorities; and
- enquire about the clinic's complaint handling mechanism and contingency procedures for medical incidents.
To safeguard the public's oral health, the Government adopts the strategy of widely promoting among citizens across all age groups prevention-oriented primary oral healthcare, with a view to putting into action prevention, early identification and timely intervention of dental diseases with the objective of retaining teeth. At the same time, the Government provides appropriate oral health and dental care services for underprivileged groups with financial difficulties and special needs in a bid to ensure access to essential dental care services by these groups.
In May 2025, the DH launched the Community Dental Support Programme (CDSP) to provide targeted and subsidised dental services, including oral health assessments, medication for dental pain relief (if necessary), X-ray examinations, and dental fillings or extractions to the underprivileged groups with financial difficulties to encourage service users to retain teeth when deemed appropriate by dentists. Since January this year, the CDSP has expanded the service scope, supplanted the Community Care Fund Elderly Dental Assistance Programme, and included the homeless. The new service items include dental scaling, root canal treatment, removal of bridges and crowns and fitting of removable dentures. For more information, please visit the DH's thematic webpage.
Dental clinic, Photo by Bastille Post
FEHD reviews this year's efforts to tackle dripping air conditioners
A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said today (November 10) that the department has continued to adopt a multipronged approach to tackle the problem of dripping air conditioners, combining enhanced inspections and enforcement with publicity and education, innovative technology and adjustments to operational strategies. This year, the FEHD has fully deployed the third-generation Air-conditioning Water Dripping Inspection System, featuring infrared night-vision technology and artificial intelligence (AI) image recognition, across all districts to detect dripping locations quickly and accurately, significantly enhancing enforcement effectiveness.
The spokesman said, "As of September 30, the FEHD had issued about 8 100 nuisance notices concerning dripping air conditioners this year, representing an increase of about 16 per cent and 54 per cent over the corresponding periods last year and in 2024 respectively. The figure was about four times that for the same period in 2023. Over 99 per cent of the households that received the notices have addressed the dripping problem as required. Significant improvements have also been recorded at the locations of concern identified by the department."
In recent years, the FEHD has adopted a new operational strategy. In addition to handling public complaints, officers proactively conduct door-to-door inspections and take enforcement action, focusing on around 300 locations of concern with more serious dripping problems across districts, including bus stops, minibus stops and pedestrian passages. Each location is inspected at least once a week. By August, dripping problems at about half of these locations had been resolved or had shown significant improvement. As conditions improved at some locations, the FEHD extended its operations to more than 110 additional locations with less serious problems. As of September 30, the number of locations being followed up by the FEHD had increased from around 300 to more than 400.
The FEHD has also actively applied innovative technology, collaborating with a local innovation and technology institution to develop the Air-conditioning Water Dripping Inspection System. Using infrared night-vision technology, the system enables officers to detect dripping locations quickly in low-light conditions without entering residents' premises. The enhanced second-generation system features a remote-controlled pan-tilt head and autofocus functions. Its detection range has been extended to 120 metres, enabling it to cover buildings around 40 storeys high. In April this year, the system won a bronze award in thecategory of Engineering and Robotics – Optical Sensing and Spatial Intelligence at the Edison Awards 2026, gaining international recognition for its innovative technology. This year, the department has fully deployed the third-generation system, featuring AI image recognition, across all districts. The system uses high-precision image recognition to detect dripping locations automatically and pinpoint their sources quickly and accurately, further reducing the time required for observation and evidence collection.
In addition to strengthening enforcement, the FEHD actively collaborates with the property management sector to tackle dripping air conditioners. The department continues to promote the Scheme of Participation by Property Management Agents in Tackling Dripping Air-conditioners, inviting staff of property management companies serving private housing estates to help identify dripping sources and advise residents to rectify the problem. More than 300 private housing estates across the territory currently participate in the scheme, helping to complete follow-up and handling of an average of over 4 000 dripping complaints each year. The department also works closely with the Property Management Services Authority to provide relevant guidelines for licensed property management companies and property management personnel, and encourages more licensed companies to join the scheme.
The FEHD calls on all sectors to work together to tackle dripping air conditioners. Property management companies should regularly repair and maintain building drainage systems and remind residents to inspect and repair their air conditioners. Members of the public should also inspect and maintain their air conditioners regularly and address any dripping problems promptly to avoid causing a nuisance. For more information, please refer to the leaflet on the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pleasant_environment/library/aircon/Pamphlet_water_dripping_from_air_conditioner.pdf).
Source: AI-found images
