The University of Hong Kong will increase places for dental students, potentially impacting prospects for recruiting dentistry students to the UK.

The University of Hong Kong, the only dentistry school in the special administrative region, has confirmed plans to increase the number of student places. This is consistent with an announcement to increase provision in the government’s policy address in January.

From next year the university will admit 73 first year students for its Bachelor of Dental Surgery Programme, as opposed to the current 53.

Hong Kong has a shortage of dentists, with 25 to 35 dentists per 100,000 people, much fewer than the average for developed countries.

A related article can be found here.

British Council commentary, by Steve Corry, Regional Business Development Manager

The number of Hong Kong students studying dentistry is small, but has been growing. According to HESA data 35 Hong Kong students were studying dentistry in the UK in 2013/14, up from around 15 five years earlier. However with the additional 20 places locally, there will be a reduced need for students wishing to study dentistry to go abroad.

The average HKDSE scores for students entering the University of Hong Kong is 23.3 across the four core subjects, i.e. an average of 5* grades.

The shortage of dentists in Hong Kong does suggest that students currently in the UK will have excellent employment prospects when they return to Hong Kong. Graduates who have studied in the UK are required to sit a licensing exam set by the Dental Council of Hong Kong before practicing (a guide can be found here).

For further advice on student recruitment prospects in Hong Kong, please contact Steve Corry at steven.corry@britishcouncil.org.hk.