Opening Ceremony of St. James’ Settlement Jockey Club Primary Dental Care Clinic Advancing Community-based Primary Dental Care and Promoting Oral Health Awareness
Press Release
For Immediate Release
8 May 2026
Opening Ceremony of St. James’ Settlement Jockey Club Primary Dental Care Clinic
Advancing Community-based Primary Dental Care and Promoting Oral Health Awareness
Oral health is an indispensable component of overall health. The Hong Kong Government has incorporated oral health as one of the key directions for primary healthcare system reform in its Primary Healthcare Blueprint. To align with the Blueprint’s prevention-oriented model and strengthen community-based primary dental services, St. James’ Settlement, with the support of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, has established the St. James’ Settlement Jockey Club Primary Dental Care Clinic (the “Dental Clinic”) in Sham Shui Po, alongside the Jockey Club Dental Care Programme. Through a community-based service model, the Dental Clinic aims to deliver accessible and sustainable primary dental services.
New Dental Clinic Opens in Sham Shui Po to Serve the Underprivileged
The newly established Dental Clinic in Sham Shui Po is dedicated to addressing the needs of the underprivileged community by providing essential primary dental services. Rooted in the community, the Dental Clinic strives to provide accessible and reliable primary dental services whenever people are in need. It is committed to creating a warm, reassuring, and professional care environment, supported by the expertise of dentists and dental hygienists, enabling people of all ages and needs to receive respectful and empathetic dental care.
The Dental Clinic’s opening ceremony attended by officiating guests including Dr. Cecilia Fan, Under Secretary for Health; Ms. Imelda Chan, Head of Charities (Health & Older Adults Cluster), The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Dr. Sigmund Leung, Co-chairman of the Oral Health Group, Primary Healthcare Committee, and Mr. Brian Li, Vice chairman of St. James' Settlement's Executive Committee, who jointly witnessed the formal commencement of the Dental Clinic’s services.
At the opening ceremony, the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Cecilia Fan, said, “The Primary Dental Care Clinic is a successful model of our collaboration with non-governmental organisations and various stakeholders. Through policy guidance, resource support from the Jockey Club, and professional operation by St. James' Settlement, this model not only enables resources to be more precisely allocated to those most in need but also facilitates better co-ordination with other primary healthcare services to form a network, demonstrating the spirit of the Primary Healthcare Co-care Network. We anticipate that dental practitioners will play a more important role in the Primary Healthcare Co-care Network and work together with the Government and relevant stakeholders to jointly promote the concept emphasising prevention, early identification, and timely intervention. Through this mode of collaboration, not only can the oral health and general well-being of the public be enhanced, but the synergy of the overall primary healthcare system can also be strengthened, thereby building a healthier and more vibrant community for Hong Kong.”
Ms. Imelda Chan, Head of Charities (Health & Older Adults Cluster) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, shared, “As the Government incorporates oral health into the primary healthcare system, the Jockey Club hopes that the three Primary Dental Care Clinics in Sham Shui Po, Tai Kok Tsui, and Yuen Long can collaborate with partners across various sectors, to align with the service development of District Health Centres (DHC) and DHC Express to jointly promote community oral health. ”
Mr. Brian Li, Vice chairman of St. James' Settlement's Executive Committee, remarked, “We are grateful to the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust for their longstanding support and trust, and also to the Health Bureau, the Department of Health, and the Working Group on Oral Health and Dental Care for their invaluable guidance and advice throughout the planning and implementation of the Dental Clinic. This enables St. James' Settlement to bring dental services to Sham Shui Po, providing the community with essential treatments and promoting proper oral hygiene values. We look forward to continuing our close collaboration with various organizations, adopting a primary healthcare-led approach to jointly safeguard public oral health.”
Jockey Club Dental Care Programme Encourages Early Dental Care
St. James’ Settlement has been providing dental services since 1956, rooted in the Wan Chai community and committed to delivering oral care. Oral health extends beyond dental conditions and is intrinsically linked to overall health, quality of life, and individuals’ self-care capacity. However, many low-income and resource-limited individuals, constrained by high costs, limited information, or psychological barriers, do not seek timely dental treatment, leading to the escalation of dental problems.
To further enhance public awareness of oral health, supported by the Jockey Club Dental Care Programme, the Dental Clinic will organise oral health education workshops, led by dental hygienists. These workshops will equip community members with practical knowledge on oral care and the prevention of dental problems. Additionally, the Dental Clinic will also collaborate with community partners to promote oral health and support the public in leading healthier and better lives.
St. James’ Settlement Jockey Club Primary Dental Care Clinic
Address: Shop 01–04 and 51, 1/F, The Vertex 29 Tonkin Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon
Tel: 2345 1672
Service Hours:
Monday to Friday: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
Saturday: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
For more information, please visit: https://www.sjs.org.hk/en/project/fee-details.php?id=2
– End –
Photo Caption
Photo 1: St. James’ Settlement, with the support of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, has established the St. James’ Settlement Jockey Club Primary Dental Care Clinic in Sham Shui Po. The opening ceremony was held with esteemed guests, including Dr. Cecilia Fan, Under Secretary for Health (3rd right); Ms. Imelda Chan, Head of Charities (Health & Older Adults Cluster), The Hong Kong Jockey Club (4th left); Dr. Sigmund Leung, Co-chairman of the Oral Health Group, Primary Healthcare Committee (3rd left); Mr. Brian Li, Vice chairman of St. James' Settlement's Executive Committee (2nd right); Dr. Lam Kui Chun, Chairman of St. James' Settlement Dental Clinic Limited Board of Directors (1st right); Ms. Josephine Lee, Chief Executive Officer of St. James’ Settlement (1st left); and Ms. Lui Kwai Lan, Beneficiary of the Dental Clinic (2nd left)
Photo 2: Supported by various sectors of the community, District Council members, Care Teams, district leaders, representatives from NGOs, and corporate partners gathered for a group photo to commemorate the opening of the St. James’ Settlement Jockey Club Primary Dental Care Clinic
Photo 3: Students from St. James' Settlement Belcher Kindergarten Child Care Centre performed the "Toothbrushing Song" at the opening ceremony, using music and dance to promote oral health messages
Photo 4: A dental hygienist of the St. James’ Settlement Jockey Club Primary Dental Care Clinic introduces the clinic’s facilities to attending guests
About St. James’ Settlement
Founded by the Rt. Rev. Bishop R.O. Hall of the Anglican Church in 1949, St. James’ Settlement began as a club for boys and girls in a temple in Stone Nullah Lane, Wanchai. It was then developed into a six-storey building on Kennedy Road in 1963 to provide diversified services, including children and youth services, elderly services and rehabilitation services. In 1987, the headquarters was opened in Stone Nullah Lane so that the scope of services could be further extended. Our first centre outside Wanchai (named Central and Western District Elderly Community Centre) was established in 1990. Since then, different service centres have been developed and most of them are located along the north coast of Hong Kong Island, from The Belcher’s in Western to Hing Wah Estate in Chai Wan. In recent years, in view of the society’s ever-changing needs, we have opened service centres in Kowloon and the New Territories. To date, our 143 service points are in operation across Hong Kong. Now, St. James’ Settlement served around 3.5 million person-times, and our target beneficiaries include children, teenagers, families, the elderly and people with disabilities.
Media Enquiries
St. James’ Settlement
Media Team
Tel: (852) 2835 4321
Email: [email protected]
