asked the Minister for Health the number of children who have been treated by orthodontic services in each of the last five years; and the size of the current waiting list for orthodontic treatment, for children, in the health board system.
132.
Written Answers. - Child Orthodontic Services.
131.
asked the Minister for Health the number of child patients per year who would require orthodontic treatment in the long term; and the plans he has for the development of the child orthodontic service in the coming years.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 132 together.
The information requested by the Deputy is as follows:
Number of children who received orthodontic treatment in the last five years.
|
1983 |
4,902 |
|
1984 |
5,011 |
|
1985 |
5,407 |
|
1986 |
4,351 |
|
1987 |
4,374 |
At present there are 19,223 children awaiting assessment and/or orthodontic treatment in the health board system.
International research indicates that in the long term the proportion of children requiring some degree of orthodontic treatment could be more than 25 per cent. However, this would include treatments for non-essential, e.g. purely cosmetic reasons, which would be excluded under the terms of the guidelines for the provision of orthodontic treatment laid down by my Department. The proportion of children qualifying for orthodontic treatment by the health boards would, therefore, be considerably lower than the internationally quoted figure of 25 per cent.
The provision of orthodontic treatment for eligible persons was part of the recent general review of dental services carried out by a working group under the chairmanship of my colleague Deputy Terry Leyden, Minister of State at my Department. I am at present considering the findings and recommendations of the review group including those relating to the orthodontic service.
Although all health board dentists can and do provide a certain degree of orthodontic treatment, the more complicated cases require the services of specialist orthodontists. Six full time posts of consultant orthodontist have been approved for the health boards but competitions held by the Local Appointments Commission over the past five years have only succeeded in filling one of these posts. Efforts are continuing to fill the other five posts.