TNAG-0507-FCO40-572-Development-of-medical-and-health-services-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 148

The supply

from overseas

G.F. 323

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registered with the Dental Council was 496. Excluding those

known to have ceased to practise in Hong Kong for various reasons (death, retirement or resignation) the actual number of dentists practising is estimated to be, at most, 440 (a ratio of one dentist for every 9,000 population).

11.12

The World Health Organisation and the International Dentists Federation have set no optimum ratio for the provision of dentists taking the view that each country must determine its own targets in the light of its own social, economic and educational

characteristics. The MDAC noted the ratios applying in other countries (paragraph 93 of their Report), but hesitated to determine

a particular ratio for Hong Kong. On the basis however of an

arbitrary ratio of one dentist to 6,000 population for the private sector and taking account of the likely requirement of 12 dentists for the School Dental Care Service and of three additional dentists

per year for the Government Dental Service and of likely new registrations and of wastage, the MDAC calculated that, if nothing is done to produce more dentists, the needs and shortfalls would be

1974 1975 1976 1977 1978

1978 1979 1980 1981 1982

Need

734 748 763 772 782 793 803 814

Shortfall 300 317 335 348 364

825

382 401 423 447

What is more, these shortfalls would be increased in the coming years on account of retirement and resignation. By 1982 there would in fact be fewer dentists (378) to serve about 1 million

more people, representing a very low ratio of 1:13,000.

11.13

On average eight additional dentists qualified

overseas are added to the register each year.

This is clearly

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noeds.