Hong Kong Regulations

ANCILLARY DENTAL WORKERS (DENTAL HYGIENISTS) REGULATIONS - REGULATION 6

Scope of dental work that may be undertaken by dental hygienists

(Past version on 30/06/1997).

(1) Subject to this regulation, an enrolled dental hygienist may undertake
dental work of the following kinds-

   (a)  the cleaning and polishing of teeth;

   (b)  the scaling of teeth (that is to say the removal of tartar deposits,
        accretions and stains from those parts of the surface of the teeth
        which are exposed or which are directly beneath the free margins of
        the gums, including the application of medicaments thereto);

   (c)  the application to the teeth of solutions of sodium or stannous
        fluoride or such other similar prophylactic solutions as the Council
        may from time to time determine;

   (d)  the exposure of x-ray films inter-orally or extra-orally for the
        investigation of lesions or suspected lesions of the mouth, jaws,
        teeth and associated structures; and

   (e)  the giving of advice on matters relating to dental hygiene.

(2) A dental hygienist shall not undertake any form of dental work unless-

   (a)  he is enrolled in accordance with regulation 4;

   (b)  he is employed by a registered dentist or by any organization or
        establishment that has employed at least one registered dentist; (L.N.
        299 of 1999)

   (c)  any patient upon whom he undertakes dental work has first been
        examined by a registered dentist who has then prescribed the treatment
        to be carried out by the dental hygienist;

   (d)  such dental work is carried out-

        (i)    in accordance with the directions of a registered dentist who
               is available in the premises at all times when such dental work
               is being carried out; and

        (ii)   in such premises and under such conditions as are suitable for
               such work.

(3) An enrolled dental hygienist who undertakes such kinds of dental work as
are prescribed in paragraph (1) shall, if he complies at all times with the
conditions prescribed in paragraph (2), be deemed not to be practising
dentistry for the purposes of the Ordinance.

(4) For the purposes of this regulation, "registered dentist" (註冊牙 醫)
means a person registered under section 9 of the Ordinance other than a person
entitled to registration under section 7(d) of the Registration of Dentists
Ordinance 1940 (1 of 1940).
For the purposes of this regulation, "registered dentist" (註冊牙醫) means
a person registered under section 9 of the Ordinance other than a person
entitled to registration under section 7(d) of the Registration of Dentists
Ordinance 1940 (1 of 1940).