asked the Minister for Health the cost of the fee per item for the orthodontic treatment scheme for 1985, 1986 and 1987; and the individual fee paid to dentists for orthodontic treatment.
Written Answers. - Orthodontic Treatment.
237.
The fees paid by the health boards to orthodontists in private practice for orthodontic treatments were £411,383 in 1985 and £365,727 in 1986. The figure for 1987 is not yet available.
The following is the scale of fees applicable at present for treatments provided by private orthodontists.
Removable Appliance Orthodontic Treatment
|
Initial Examination Fee |
£25.42 |
|
Treatment Fee |
£135.67 |
Fixed Appliance Orthodontic Treatment
|
Both Arches |
|
|
(a) Initial Examination |
£25.42 |
|
(b) Active Treatment |
£484.57 |
|
(Including construction and fitting of appliances, maintenance, changing appliances in the course of treatment and debanding). |
|
|
(c) Retention period, where applicable |
£50.63 |
|
£560.62 |
|
|
Single Arch |
|
|
(a) Initial Examination |
£25.42 |
|
(b) Active Treatment (as above) |
£323.03 |
|
(c) Retention period, where applicable |
£50.63 |
|
£399.08 |
Active treatment normally takes place over a period of 18 months to 2 years. The retention supplement is only paid where a case requires treatment over a longer period.