Hong Kong's Department of Health announced on August 24 that a new Outreach Oral Health Programme for Pre-school Children would launch on September 1, with dental teams from designated service providers visiting kindergartens to offer students free oral screening and preventive dental care on campus.

Children aged 32 months or older attending participating kindergartens are eligible for the free service, which may be received once a year. Teams would provide oral screenings, oral health risk assessments and fluoride application as appropriate, along with a report on each child's oral health and individualised advice for parents. They would also give oral health talks to kindergarten teaching staff. The department estimated that tens of thousands of children and their parents would benefit.

According to the department, 23 service providers covering all 18 districts are taking part, and providers began contacting kindergartens in June to set outreach dates for the new school year. As of mid-August, 680 of the 949 kindergartens in Hong Kong had joined, the department said. Parents apply through their child's kindergarten. The programme is intended to bridge the department's Brighter Smiles Baby Programme, which has served children aged 0 to 3 since June 2023, and the School Dental Care Service for primary students.