Elderly Dental Subsidies 2026: The Community Care Fund Scheme Has Ended. How the Community Dental Support Programme Works
Written and reviewed by the HK Dental Guide editorial team · Updated 21 Oct 2026 · 6 min read
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Updated September 2026: this page used to be a 2025 scored ranking of Community Care Fund dental clinics. The Community Care Fund Elderly Dental Assistance Programme stopped accepting applications on 1 January 2026, and this site no longer scores clinics, so the page is now a 2026 guide to elderly dental subsidies: who qualifies, what is covered, what you pay and how to choose a participating provider.
At a glance
| Scheme | Who can use it | What it covers | What you pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Care Fund Elderly Dental Assistance Programme | Stopped accepting applications from 1 January 2026; replaced by the Community Dental Support Programme | ||
| Community Dental Support Programme | People receiving the Old Age Living Allowance or other specified allowances or services (see below) | Check-up, X-rays, pain relief, fillings, extractions, scaling, root canal treatment, removal of bridges or crowns, removable dentures | Category A: mostly free, dentures $500 each; Category B: $50 per item ($100 per bridge removal), dentures $1,000 each |
| Elderly Health Care Voucher | Aged 65 or over | Usable with enrolled private dentists, and for Community Dental Support Programme fees | $2,000 a year, accumulation cap $8,000 |
| Government dental clinic general public sessions | Anyone (Hong Kong ID card holders and others count as eligible persons) | Pain relief and extractions only; no scaling, fillings or dentures | Free for eligible persons |
Why did the Community Care Fund programme end?
In December 2025 the government announced that the Community Dental Support Programme would expand from 1 January 2026 and supplant the Community Care Fund Elderly Dental Assistance Programme, which ceased to accept applications from that date. The announcement did not say how cases already approved or in treatment would be handled; ask the provider or social worker responsible.
Who qualifies for the Community Dental Support Programme?
Applicants must hold a valid Hong Kong identity card or certificate of exemption, be registered with eHealth, and currently receive one of the following:
- Old Age Living Allowance
- Community Care Service Vouchers for the Elderly (co-payment level 2)
- The Social Welfare Department's home care services for frail elderly persons or home support services (fee level 1 or 2)
- Hospital Authority medical fee waiver (full or partial)
- From 2026: homeless people applying with the help of social workers from designated NGOs
What is covered, and how often?
| Service | Limit |
|---|---|
| Oral check-up, X-rays, pain relief medicine (if needed), fillings or extractions, removal of bridges or crowns | Once every 180 days (fillings or extractions: up to 3 teeth) |
| Scaling, root canal treatment | Once every 365 days |
| Removable dentures | Up to twice per person, at least 5 years apart; you must have fewer than 20 teeth left and difficulty chewing |
Scaling, root canal treatment, removal of bridges and crowns, and removable dentures were added from January 2026. For exactly how many teeth are covered and how visits are counted, go by the programme website and your provider.
What do you pay?
| Item | Category A | Category B |
|---|---|---|
| Check-up, X-rays, pain relief medicine | Free | Free |
| Fillings, extractions, scaling, root canal treatment (per tooth), crown removal | Free | $50 each |
| Bridge removal | Free | $100 per bridge |
| Removable dentures | $500 each | $1,000 each |
Category A covers users of home care services for frail elderly persons or home support services paying level 1 fees, people with a full Hospital Authority fee waiver (including Old Age Living Allowance recipients aged 75 or over), and homeless people; other eligible people are Category B. The programme FAQ confirms that administration fees and co-payments can be paid with Elderly Health Care Vouchers.
How to choose a participating provider
We don't score providers. These steps help you find one that suits you:
- Search by district: use the Department of Health's NGO dental clinic search and pick somewhere close to home or easy to return to.
- Phone and ask: when is the next opening? Do I need a social worker's referral? Which documents should I bring (ID card, eHealth, proof of allowance)?
- For dentures, ask: how many visits will it take? If it doesn't fit or bite properly afterwards, how are adjustments arranged?
- Limited mobility: ask whether the provider offers outreach or more convenient appointment times.
- Treatment outside the programme: ask for the fee before starting; you have the right to a quotation before treatment.
Not eligible?
- Aged 65 or over: the Elderly Health Care Voucher gives $2,000 a year, with an accumulation cap of $8,000, usable with enrolled private dentists.
- Toothache needing an extraction: the Department of Health's government dental clinic general public sessions provide pain relief and extractions, with half the places reserved for people aged 65 or over.
- Denture prices: teaching hospital, subsidised and private denture fees are in Hong Kong dental fees: dentures, with a source for every cell. For a four-column comparison (public, subsidised, private, Shenzhen), see denture prices: public vs private vs Shenzhen.
For every scheme's eligibility and how to apply, see dental subsidies at a glance.
Government dental clinics by district: the Department of Health runs general public sessions at 11 government dental clinics, for pain relief or extractions only — no fillings, scaling or dentures (Department of Health). For the government dental clinics in each district, with addresses and session times, see the district pages:
- Hong Kong Island: Central and Western government dental clinic, Wan Chai government dental clinic, Eastern District government dental clinic, Southern District government dental clinic
- Kowloon: Yau Tsim Mong government dental clinic, Sham Shui Po government dental clinic, Kowloon City government dental clinic, Kwun Tong government dental clinic; Wong Tai Sin has no general public session, and the Wong Tai Sin dental services page lists the nearest ones
- New Territories and Islands: Kwai Tsing government dental clinic, Tsuen Wan government dental clinic, Tuen Mun government dental clinic, Yuen Long government dental clinic, North District government dental clinic, Tai Po government dental clinic, Sha Tin government dental clinic, Sai Kung and Tseung Kwan O government dental clinic, Islands government dental clinic
Further reading
- Hong Kong dental clinics by district
- Hong Kong dental subsidies at a glance
- Hong Kong dental fees: dentures
- How to read a dental quote
- How to choose a dental clinic: 6 key things to look for
※ Based on public information and editorial research, with sources; information as at September 2026. Check the programme website for the latest details before applying.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still apply to the Community Care Fund elderly dental programme?
No. The Community Care Fund Elderly Dental Assistance Programme stopped accepting applications on 1 January 2026 and was replaced by the Community Dental Support Programme.
How much does the Community Dental Support Programme cost?
Check-ups, X-rays and pain relief are free. Category A users pay nothing for fillings, extractions, scaling or root canal treatment and $500 per denture; Category B users pay $50 per item ($100 per bridge removal) and $1,000 per denture.
Can I use Elderly Health Care Vouchers for the co-payment?
Yes. The programme FAQ confirms that administration fees and denture co-payments can be paid with vouchers.
How do I find a participating clinic?
Use the NGO dental clinic search on the Department of Health's Community Dental Support Programme website, choose by district and phone the clinic to book.
Sources
- Government press release: Community Dental Support Programme expansion (2025-12-17)
- Department of Health: introduction to the Community Dental Support Programme
- Department of Health: Community Dental Support Programme FAQ
- Department of Health: NGO dental clinic search
- Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme: background
- Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme: types of healthcare service providers (including dentists)
- Department of Health: government dental clinic general public sessions
This article is general information and does not replace advice from a dentist or social worker.
※ Actual fees depend on case difficulty.
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