(Cavan-Monaghan): asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that the dental service in the North Eastern Health Board area is grossly under-staffed and that many areas are left without the service of a dentist under the choice of dentist scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter with particular reference to the number of people who are eligible for treatment in Counties Cavan and Monaghan and to the number of dentists available.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - North Eastern Health Board Dentists.
12.
I am aware that in common with other health boards the North Eastern Health Board have had difficulty in filling all their whole-time posts due mainly to the overall shortage of dentists.
For the North Eastern Health Board area as a whole there are 17 whole-time dentists, five dentists are providing part-time services on a sessional basis and a further 32 in private practice are participating in the choice of dentist scheme for medical card holders.
In Cavan and Monaghan, where there are 46,500 eligible adults, four of the nine whole-time posts are vacant. The four private dentists in Monaghan are participating in the choice of dentist scheme but none of the four Cavan dentists are in that scheme. As will be appreciated it is a matter for each individual dentist to decide whether or not to participate in the scheme.
Every effort is being made to improve the dental services. The new career structure and increased rates of pay recently introduced should improve recruitment. Discussions with a view to further improving the dental service for eligible patients have already commenced with representatives of the dental profession.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Would the Minister accept that there are approximately 50,000 people eligible in Counties Cavan and Monaghan, including 15,000 primary school children and 14,000 people over 65 years of age? Would the Minister accept further that there are the equivalent of four full-time dentists only to cater for these people, that it has been suggested that this constitutes an impossible task and has been likened to me by the head dentist in the scheme as attempting to water the desert with a watering can? Would the Minister not agree that there is a lot of work to be done here and that the position is absolutely hopeless in Counties Cavan and Monaghan?
I would not agree that the position is hopeless. Posts are available — there is a problem in having them filled — but we have been involved in fairly lengthy negotiations with the association and a new career structure and increased rates of pay have been introduced recently which I believe will improve recruitment at that level.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Would the Minister not agree that if a responsible man in charge of the scheme describes it as being the equivalent of attempting to water the desert with a watering can it is more than hopeless? Since the Minister says that none of the dentists in County Cavan participate in the choice of dentist scheme does the Minister not accept that that means that it is not acceptable to them? Does the Minister not agree that that being the case it is his business, as Minister for Health, to provide a service for people eligible for it?
New terms were discussed for the choice of dentist scheme. These were put to the association and to dentists throughout the country. A large number of dentists are participating in the scheme. The numbers are increasing since those terms were negotiated. I would hope that the other dentists would find it possible to participate.
Would the Minister agree that there are children who have been examined and referred to dentists for treatment and who, because there are not sufficient dentists, do not receive that dental treatment? What is the point in having children examined for dental care if there are insufficient dentists to treat them?
We are dealing with a question in regard to the North Eastern Health Board. Question No. 13.
Has the Minister any reply to that?
I am very anxious to ensure that any children needing treatment will get it, and there is no question——
(Cavan-Monaghan): But they are not getting it.
No, they are not getting it.
——but that any urgent treatment will be covered.
Action is what we want.