XN000022-1981-02-24 — Page 2

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1981

PRINCE PHILIP TO OPEN HOSPITAL

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HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH, WILL OFFICIALLY OPEN THE $200 MILLION PRINCE PHILIP DENTAL HOSPITAL IN SAI YING PUN DURING A BRIEF STOPOVER IN HONG KONG ON MARCH 24.

THE GOVERNMENT SUBVENTED HOSPITAL, DESCRIBED BY ITS DIRECTOR PROFESSOR GEOFFREY L. HOWE AS BEING ONE OF THE MOST MODERN IN THE WORLD+, HAS STARTED ACCEPTING TRAINEE DENTISTS.

PRINCE PHILIP, THE CENTENNIAL PRESIDENT OF THE BRITISH DENTAL ASSOCIATION, IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN HONG KONG EARLY IN THE MORNING OF MARCH 24′ AND DEPART THE SAME EVENING FOR AUSTRALIA. PROF. HOWE IS VICE PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION.

DURING A TOUR OF THE HOSPITAL, PRINCE PHILIP WILL BE TAKEN THROUGH FOUR FLOORS WHICH HAVE BEEN HANDED OVER TO THE BOARD OF MANAGEMENT CHAIRED BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MISS LYDIA DUNN.

HE WILL SEE TRAINEE DENTAL TECHNICIANS AT WORK IN THE HOSPITAL'S 228 CLINICAL CHAIRS - 161 IN OPEN PLAN UNITS WITH ASSOCIATED BACK-UP FACILITIES, 56 INDIVIDUAL SURGERIES, NINE SPECIAL DEMONSTRATION SURGERIES AND TWO OPERATING THEATRES.

WORK ON THE HOSPITAL STARTED IN JUNE 1978- THE SUPERSTRUCTURE WAS COMPLETED A YEAR LATER, AND MUCH OF ITS HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT WAS INSTALLED LAST YEAR.

PROF. HOWE, WHO IS ALSO DEAN OF DENTAL STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY) SUITABLE PATIENTS WOULD HAVE TO BE FOUND TO MEET TEACHING NEEDS.

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT SOME 120 000 PATIENTS WOULD BE NEEDED ANNUALLY AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 500 PER DAY TO COPE WITH THE NUMBER OF TRAINEES.

THE HOSPITAL IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE ABOUT 60 FULLY QUALIFIED DENTISTS OR TECHNICIANS A YEAR THE FIRST BATCH WILL GRADUATE IN 1985.

THE FULL COURSES ARE FOR FOUR AND A HALF YEARS. DURING THE FIRST THREE YEARS, THE HOSPITAL'S TRAINING STAFF (THERE ARE 55 INCLUDING PRE-CLINICAL TEACHERS AT THE MOMENT AND THIS WILL BE BOOSTED TO 80 ACADEMIC STAFF WHEN FULLY OPERATIONAL) WILL DO MOST OF THE WORK ON THE PATIENTS WITH THE STUDENTS LOOKING ON. HOWEVER, STUDENTS DURING EARLY TRAINING WILL BE DOING SCRAPINGS, CLEANING AND SIMILAR DUTIES ON PATIENTS.

COURSES AT THE HOSPITAL INCLUDE TRAINING FOR DENTAL HEALTH INSTRUCTORS, DENTAL SURGERY ASSISTANTS (DSA), EXTENDED DUTY FOR DSA'S, DENTAL HYGIENISTS, DENTAL THERAPISTS AND ANCILLARY WORKERS SUCH AS TECHNICIANS.

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