Statistics

2009 Health Manpower Survey on Dentists

Key Findings

1. The dentists covered in the 2009 HMS were those registered with the Dental Council of Hong Kong on the list* of registered dentists resident in Hong Kong as at the survey reference date - 31.8.2009. 

2. The number of dentists covered in the 2009 HMS was 1 938. 

3. Of the 1 938 dentists covered, 1 319 had responded to the survey, giving an overall response rate of 68.1%. Of the 1 319 responding dentists, 1 244 (94.3%) were economically active†‡ (active) while 75 (5.7%) reported to be economically inactive†§ (inactive) in the local dental profession (See Chart) .

4. Of the 1 244 active dentists, 1 232 (99.0%) were practising in the local dental profession, ten (0.8%) were seeking jobs in the local dental profession during the 30 days before the survey and two (0.2%) were expecting to return to the original job or waiting to take up new job in the local dental profession during the 30 days before the survey. 

5. The survey findings presented below were based on the 1 232 responding dentists who were practising in the local dental profession as at 31.8.2009. As some questionnaires contained missing information, percentages presented below may not add up to 100%.

(i)

Of the 1 232 active dentists enumerated, 874 (70.9%) were male and 332 (26.9%) were female, giving an overall sex ratio of 263 (males per 100 females). The median age of the 1 232 active dentists enumerated was 45.0 years.

(ii)

Distribution by sector of the main job║ showed that 930 (75.5 %) in the private sector, followed by 211 (17.1%) in the Government, 53 (4.3%) in the academic sector ¶ and 28 (2.3%) in the subvented sector.

(iii)

85.6% spent most of their working time on general dentistry, followed by 11.4% on specialist practice, 1.5% on teaching / education and 0.8% on administration / management.

(iv)

The median number of hours of work (excluding meal breaks) per week of the 1 232 active dentists enumerated was 44.0 hours. 78 (6.3%) dentists were required to undertake on-call duty in their posts, with a median of 8.0 hours of on-call duty (outside normal working hours) per week.

6. Among the 75 inactive dentists (See Chart) .

(i)

38 dentists reported practising overseas / in the Mainland.

(ii)

37 dentists reported not practising in the dental profession in Hong Kong and not seeking job in the local dental profession during the 30 days before the survey. The reasons reported for not seeking job included: 17 (45.9%) were retired, 11 (29.7%) wanted to take rest / having no motive to work / having no financial need, five (13.5%) engaged in household duties, etc.

* As the 2009 Health Manpower Survey aimed at covering all dentists practising in Hong Kong, dentists on the list of registered dentists resident outside Hong Kong were excluded from the survey.

† In the survey, the criteria used in defining economically active / inactive are followed those recommended by the International Labour Organisation, which are also being used by the Census and Statistics Department in Hong Kong.

‡ “Economically active” dentists comprised all “employed” and “unemployed” dentists. “Employed” dentists referred to those dentists practising in the dental profession in Hong Kong during the survey period, while “unemployed dentists” referred to those dentists who (a) were not practising in the local dental profession during the survey period; (b) had been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) had sought work in the local dental profession during the 30 days before the survey.

§“Economically inactive” dentists comprised the responding dentists who were not practising in the dental profession in Hong Kong during the survey period, but excluding those who had been on leave during the survey period and those who were economically active but “unemployed”.

║Main jobs referred to the jobs in which the dentists had spent most of their working time.

¶ Includes universities and the Prince Philip Dental Hospital.

Activity Status of Dentists Covered

Text Version

Of the 1 938 dentists covered, 1 319 (68.1%) had responded to the survey, while the remaining 619 (31.9%) had not responded. Among the respondents, 1 244 (94.3%) were active in the local dental profession whereas 75 (5.7%) reported to be inactive in the local dental profession.

Among the 1 244 active dentists, 1 232 (99.0%) were practising in the local dental profession, ten (0.8%) responding dentists who (a) were not practising in the dental profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; (b) had been available for work in the local dental profession during the seven days before the survey; and (c) had sought work in the local dental profession during the 30 days before the survey and the remaining two (0.2%) responding dentists who (a) were not practising in the dental profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; (b) had been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) were expecting to return to the original job or waiting to take up new job in the local dental profession during the 30 days before the survey.

Of the 75 inactive dentists, 38 (50.7%) reported practising overseas / in the Mainland and 37 (49.3%) reported not seeking job in the local dental profession during the 30 days before the survey.

Of these 37 inactive dentists, 17 (45.9%) reported retired, 11 (29.7%) wanted to take rest / having no motive to work / having no financial need, five (13.5%) reported engaged in household duties and the remaining four* (10.8%) had other reasons for being inactive.

Note:

* Figure refers to the number of responding dentists who reported working in other profession or undertaking study.

Percentage may not add up to 100% due to rounding

Notes﹕

Figure refers to the number of responding dentists who (a) were not practising in the dental profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; (b) had been available for work in the local dental profession during the seven days before the survey; and (c) had sought work in the local dental profession during the 30 days before the survey.

†

Figure refers to the number of responding dentists who (a) were not practising in the dental profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; (b) had been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) were expecting to return to the original job or waiting to take up new job in the local dental profession during the 30 days before the survey.

‡

Figure refers to the number of responding dentists who reported working in other professions or undertaking study.

Percentage may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Department of Health
The Government of the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region
3 June 2010

11 Jan 2013