asked the Minister for Health if he will state the overall cost of the implementation of the sections of the Health Act, 1953, which deal with dental services; and whether he proposes to implement these sections.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cost of Dental Services.
The sections of the Health Act, 1953, dealing with dental services are: Section 14 which provides for services for the lower income group, Section 20 which relates to services for national school children and children attending child welfare clinics, and Section 21 which deals with services for the middle income group.
Sections 14 and 20 have been in operation since 1st August, 1954, and, broadly speaking, continued the services in operation under previous legislation. The regulations necessary for bringing Section 21 into operation have not yet been made. In practice the services made available under Section 14, particularly, and under Section 20 fall considerably short of meeting requirements. This applies especially to the provision of dentures for persons in the lower income group. As I have explained in reply to a number of recent questions on this subject, it is the policy to utilise the limited resources available primarily for the provision of services for children.
Cost is the main reason why the dental services fall so far short of meeting requirements. It is, of course, extremely difficult to estimate precisely the overall cost of implementing in full the dental provisions of the Health Act, 1953, but when this matter was considered a few years ago it was reckoned that the additional cost of further expanding the dental services to meet full requirements would be well over £1,000,000 a year. The cost of dental services in operation for the year 1956-57 was approximately £200,000. In the present circumstances, I regret that I cannot foresee any considerable expansion in the near future in the local authority dental services.
Is it not a fact that the longer this matter is postponed the heavier the charge will be on the community as a whole in the years to come?
I would require knowledge of dental science and practice to enable me to answer that question with any assurance.
The lower income group will have no teeth because they are encouraged to have them extracted.