Prince Philip Dental Hospital Hong Kong: 2026 Teaching Patient Fees, Registration, Waiting and Private Referral

The Prince Philip Dental Hospital is HKU's dental teaching hospital and does not provide public dental services. Teaching patients book an initial examination, pay HK$50 a visit and may wait weeks to years; private patients need a referral and a HK$1,000 deposit.

There is no official rating for the hospital, and this site does not rate or rank hospitals or clinics. This guide sets out only what can be checked on the hospital's website, the HKU Faculty of Dentistry and government pages: the difference between teaching and private patients, how to register, the 2026 fee schedule, how long the wait can be, which new cases are currently not accepted, and where to complain. You can then judge whether it suits you. To compare with other hospital dental services, see our guide to hospital dentistry in Hong Kong; for every lower-cost route, see affordable dental care in Hong Kong.

What is the Prince Philip Dental Hospital?

The hospital is at 34 Hospital Road, Sai Ying Pun[5], and is where the University of Hong Kong's Faculty of Dentistry trains dentists and dental care professionals. Its notices state plainly that it "does not provide public dental services"[1]. It is not a Department of Health clinic and not a Hospital Authority hospital. Members of the public can be seen in one of two ways:

• Teaching patients: after screening, suitable cases are treated by dental students under the supervision of qualified Faculty or hospital clinical staff, at nominal cost[1][7].
• Private patients: accepted only with a referral from outside the hospital, normally from a registered doctor or dentist, and treated by authorised HKU Faculty of Dentistry teaching staff[5].

How do you register as a teaching patient?

The hospital lists three ways to get an initial examination[1][2]:

1. Online: anyone can use the hospital's online initial examination booking system (booking.ppdh.org.hk); the public notice says the initial examination can be booked and paid for online.
2. Queue card (age 14 or above): cards are issued at the first-floor information counter from 8:15am to 3:30pm, with a pause from 12:30 to 1:30pm, first come first served until the quota is full; early arrivals may wait in the waiting area from 6:30am.
3. Phone (under 14): call 2859 0238 from 8:30am on any working day to book a slot within the next week; anyone under 18 must come with a parent or guardian.

To register, you read the personal data collection statement, sign the Teaching Patient's Declaration Form and show your original HKID card or birth certificate[1].

What the declaration form asks you to accept[4]:

• All treatment must fit the training needs of HKU students. Acceptance after the first examination is not assured; if you are not accepted, there is no treatment or follow-up and you need to find a dentist elsewhere.
• The examination fee is not refunded if you are not accepted.
• Each examination or treatment visit can take a whole morning or afternoon.
• The hospital may end treatment after two missed appointments without notice, or if the case is no longer suitable for teaching (with a referral letter).
• You agree that records, photos, X-rays and models that do not identify you may be used for teaching, research or publication.

How long is the wait, and what is suspended?

The hospital says the waiting time "will vary from several weeks to several years according to the types of problems"[1], and the declaration form reminds patients to seek care elsewhere while they wait[4]. If you have toothache now, the teaching list is not the route.

When we checked, the registration page said two kinds of new case were suspended until further notice because the waiting-list quota was full[1]:

• new teaching patients seeking orthodontic treatment (braces);
• new teaching patients referred for specialist endodontic (root canal) treatment.

So although the fee schedule lists orthodontic fees, new braces cases may not get a place for now. For private orthodontic care, see how to choose an orthodontist in Hong Kong. On the other hand, the Chinese fee page carried an urgent call for teaching patients for paediatric dentistry and for full-arch restoration of people with no teeth, with enquiries on 2859 0593 or 2859 0237[3]. Calls like this change, so check the hospital's latest notice before you go.

2026 fees for teaching patients

These figures come from the hospital's schedule of fees for teaching patients, marked as effective from 1 March 2026[3]. They apply to teaching patients only, not private patients.

Item	Fee (HK$)
Attendance fee per visit day (all treatment other than dental hygiene therapy and orthodontics)	50
Dental hygiene therapy (whole course)	100
Plastic base denture (per jaw)	430
Removable partial or complete denture, metal (per jaw)	760
Denture repair, reline or remodelling (per jaw)	110
Inlay, onlay, veneer, crown or bridge (per unit)	870
Implant denture or overdenture (per jaw, excluding implant cost)	2,730
Implant crown or bridge (per unit, excluding implant cost)	1,820
Simple fixed orthodontics	11,440
Comprehensive labial fixed orthodontics (two years)	14,860
Clear aligners	12,390 (non-hospital laboratory costs charged at cost)
Implants, mini plates and screws, expensive drugs and similar	Actual material cost

Note that both implant rows exclude the implant itself, which is charged at actual material cost, and that demand notes must be paid by the date shown or no further treatment will be provided[3]. To compare with private and other public routes, see our 2026 dental implant cost benchmark, 2026 denture prices and the full Hong Kong dental fees overview.

Dental hygiene therapy (scaling) as a teaching patient

In February 2026 the hospital announced year-round recruitment of teaching patients for dental hygiene therapy, which trains students on the Higher Diploma in Dental Hygiene offered by the hospital and HKU SPACE. The service covers oral hygiene instruction, scaling and simple preventive treatment; the initial examination costs HK$50 and the whole course HK$100. There is no treatment on the day of the examination, and a course usually needs several visits[6]. For private scaling prices, see scaling and periodontal treatment costs.

Pilot scheme for young teaching patients

The hospital's patient information page lists a pilot scheme recruiting teaching patients aged 14 to 30 who have never had an initial examination or treatment at the hospital. Services listed include oral hygiene instruction, scaling, fillings, extractions, root canal treatment and crowns[7]. For how to apply and fees, check the hospital's notices or call 2859 0238.

Private patients: referral, deposit and fees

The hospital's registration information for private patients says[5]:

• Referral required: private patients are accepted only with a referral from outside the hospital, normally from a registered doctor or dentist.
• Registration: complete the private fee-paying patient's declaration form, show your original ID with the referral letter, and pay a HK$1,000 deposit.
• Deposit: it earns no interest and is refunded by crossed cheque after treatment once all fees are paid; it is forfeited if the hospital cannot contact you for three years after discharge.
• Fees: ask your attending clinician; outside services such as pathology and radiology are charged separately.

For what to ask about a quote, see how to read a dental quote.

How does the "HKU dental specialist clinic" fit in?

A March 2021 press release from the HKU Faculty of Dentistry introduced the Institute for Advanced Dentistry Multi-Speciality Clinic (牙醫專科診所), a training site for its taught postgraduate programmes. It provides specialist care mainly for patients with severe and complex oral conditions and serves as a referral centre for practising dentists; the Chinese release says patients need a referral letter from a registered dentist before booking. No fees were published[9]. This is 2021 information, so ask the Faculty directly for the current address, fees and arrangements.

How does it compare with other public routes?

Route	Who can use it	What you pay	Source
PPDH teaching patient	Anyone, after screening; acceptance not assured	HK$50 per visit day; dental hygiene therapy HK$100 per course; dentures, crowns and other items extra	[3]
PPDH private patient	People with an outside referral	HK$1,000 deposit; treatment fees from the attending clinician	[5]
DH dental general public sessions (not PPDH)	Anyone; pain relief and extractions only	From 1 January 2026, free for eligible people; non-eligible people pay HK$850 per attendance plus HK$90 per drug item	[10]

For subsidy schemes for older people and recipients of certain allowances, see the Hong Kong dental subsidies overview.

Who does it suit, and who does it not?

• More suitable: people with flexible time who can attend for a whole weekday morning or afternoon, are not in a hurry and want lower-cost dentures, crowns or scaling; complex cases with a dentist's referral who want follow-up by university teaching staff (as private patients).
• Less suitable: anyone who needs pain relief now or cannot wait weeks to years; new braces cases or new referrals for specialist root canal treatment (currently suspended); people free only at weekends or in the evening (the information counter opens Monday to Friday 8:00am–12:30pm and 1:30–5:30pm, closed Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays[1]).

Wherever you go, you can check on the Dental Council's registers whether a dentist is registered and whether they are on the specialist register[11]; see how to verify a dentist in Hong Kong.

Where can you complain?

1. The hospital first: the hospital's notices page includes a "Patient Complaint Management System" notice[8]; you can also call 2859 0238 or email enquiry@ppdh.org.hk[2].
2. Professional misconduct: complaints about unprofessional conduct by a registered dentist go to the Dental Council of Hong Kong[12].
3. Fee disputes: the Consumer Council advises using registered dentists, asking about treatment steps and fees up front, and keeping all receipts and treatment records[13].

When to see a dentist urgently

Go to A&E straight away if toothache comes with difficulty breathing, speaking or swallowing, a swollen or painful eye or sudden problems with your eyesight, a lot of swelling in your mouth, or difficulty opening your mouth[14]. The PPDH teaching list is not an emergency route. For daytime pain relief or extraction, consider the Department of Health's dental general public sessions at 11 clinics: register online from 6:00 to 11:30am on the working day before for a computer ballot, with half the quotas balloted first for people aged 65 or above[10]. For triage, see our toothache triage guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Prince Philip Dental Hospital any good?

There is no official rating. What can be checked: it is HKU's dental teaching hospital and does not provide public dental services; teaching patients are treated by students under supervision at low fees, but acceptance is not assured and the wait can run from weeks to years; private patients need a referral and a HK$1,000 deposit. It can suit people with flexible time who are not in a hurry, not people with an emergency.

How much does a teaching patient pay at PPDH?

From 1 March 2026: HK$50 attendance fee per visit day, HK$100 for a whole course of dental hygiene therapy, HK$430 per jaw for a plastic base denture, HK$870 per unit for a crown or bridge, and HK$1,820 per unit for an implant crown (implant not included). The full schedule is on the hospital's website.

How do I get a queue card or book?

If you are 14 or above, go to the first-floor information counter on a weekday between 8:15am and 3:30pm (until the quota is full); for children under 14, call 2859 0238. Anyone can use the online initial examination booking system. Bring your original HKID card or birth certificate.

Can I get braces at PPDH?

The fee schedule lists orthodontic treatment, but when we checked, the hospital had suspended new teaching patients seeking orthodontic treatment until further notice.

Can I go straight in as a private patient?

No. Private patients need a referral from outside the hospital, normally a letter from a registered doctor or dentist, and pay a HK$1,000 deposit at registration; ask your attending clinician about treatment fees.

Related guides

• Hospital dentistry in Hong Kong (2026): private hospital fees, public hospital referrals and Prince Philip
• 2026 affordable dental care in Hong Kong
• Dental implant cost in Hong Kong 2026
• TWGHs dental clinics Hong Kong: 2026 fees, hours, booking and subsidies
• How to verify a dentist in Hong Kong
• Central and Western dental services

This article sets out information published by the hospital, the university and the government only. It is not a recommendation or ranking. Information checked on 9 November 2026; please confirm with the Prince Philip Dental Hospital before you book.

Sources

1. Prince Philip Dental Hospital: Registration Information for Teaching Patients (checked 2026-11-09)
2. Prince Philip Dental Hospital: Notice to Members of the Public (Chinese, PDF) (checked 2026-11-09)
3. Prince Philip Dental Hospital: Schedule of Fees for Teaching Patients (effective 2026-03-01, checked 2026-11-09)
4. Prince Philip Dental Hospital: Teaching Patient's Declaration Form (Chinese) (checked 2026-11-09)
5. Prince Philip Dental Hospital: Registration Information for Private Patients and Notice to Private Fee-Paying Patients (Chinese, PDF) (checked 2026-11-09)
6. Prince Philip Dental Hospital: Recruitment of Teaching Patients for Dental Hygiene Therapy (2026-02-02, checked 2026-11-09)
7. Prince Philip Dental Hospital: Patient Information (checked 2026-11-09)
8. Prince Philip Dental Hospital: Patients' Notices (checked 2026-11-09)
9. HKU Faculty of Dentistry: press release on taught postgraduate programmes and the Multi-Speciality Clinic (2021-03-01)
10. Department of Health: dental general public sessions at government dental clinics (checked 2026-11-09)
11. Dental Council of Hong Kong: General and Specialist Registers (checked 2026-11-09)
12. Dental Council of Hong Kong: Complaints (checked 2026-11-09)
13. Consumer Council: dental service complaints (Chinese) (2024-06-17)
14. NHS: Dental abscess (checked 2026-11-09)

This article is general health information and does not replace personal advice from a dentist.

※ Actual fees depend on case difficulty.