FAQs

If a dental hygienist registered under the Dentists Registration Ordinance (Cap 156) intends to use an irradiating apparatus without personal supervision by a dental practitioner (please also see answer to Q.11), he/she shall apply for an irradiating apparatus user licence under the Radiation Ordinance (Cap 303) before the use.

Licence is required by section 7(1)(c) of the Radiation Ordinance (Cap 303) to use any irradiating apparatus.  Failure to do so is an offence against section 7(1)(c) of the Radiation Ordinance and is liable to a fine at level 5 and to imprisonment for 2 years.

The applicant shall be a dental care professional (e.g. dental hygienist) registered with the Dental Council under the Dentists Registration Ordinance (Cap 156).

Any person who is bound by the Radiation Ordinance (Cap 303) is required to apply for a user licence from the Radiation Board before any use of irradiating apparatus (please also see answer to Q.2).

New application for the user licence under the Radiation Ordinance (Cap 303) can be made by completing the DH 1271(S) and the IA-U1 application forms.  Renewal application for the user licence can be made by completing the IA-U1 application form.  Completed applications, together with the required supporting documents, shall be submitted to the Radiation Board Licensing Office.  Details of the application procedures are available in the Radiation Board website at https://www.rbhk.org.hk/eng/ia-app-new.html#LUIA-human (new application) and at https://www.rbhk.org.hk/eng/ia-app-renew.html#LUIA-human (renew application).

The user licence fee is $160 which is stipulated in Schedule 2 to Radiation (Control of Irradiating Apparatus) Regulations (Cap 303B).

Under normal circumstances, the user licence can be issued within 8 weeks after complete application with all necessary supporting documents is received by the Radiation Board Licensing Office.

The user licence holder is not required to register a practising address for the licence.  The licence holder is allowed to use any dental irradiating apparatus which is licenced under the Radiation Ordinance.

The user licence is valid for 12 months and needs to be renewed on expiry.

The validity of irradiating apparatus user licence issued by the Radiation Board could be checked at the website of the Electronic Radiation Licensing and Services System at https://www1.erls.gov.hk/dherl/components/Action/home by choosing “Licence Search”.

Under the existing control of the Radiation (Control of Irradiating Apparatus) Regulations (Cap 303B, Laws of Hong Kong) concerning use of dental X-ray machines (relating to practicing of dentistry), persons other than dental practitioners shall only operate dental X-ray machines under the personal supervision of a dental practitioner for assisting in practicing of dentistry.  The dental practitioner shall also have the required irradiating apparatus user licence for using the dental X-ray machines.  In this connection, any person who operates dental X-ray machine without personal supervision by a dental practitioner contravenes Regulation 26 of the Radiation (Control of Irradiating Apparatus) Regulations.  Details of the statutory requirements are available at https://www.elegislation.gov.hk/hk/cap303B.   After the implementation of registration of dental hygienist, registered dental hygienist can apply for irradiating apparatus user licence under the Radiation Ordinance to operate dental X-ray machine without personal supervision by dental practitioner for taking radiograph according to the relevant scope of practice stipulated in the Dentists Registration Ordinance (Cap 156) and complying with the conditions to the issued irradiating apparatus user licences.

One shall comply with the existing statutory requirements under the Radiation (Control of Irradiating Apparatus) Regulations and the Radiation Ordinance as mentioned in the answer to Q.11 in order to operate dental X-ray machines.