Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 10 Feb 1993

Vol. 425 No. 7

Written Answers. - Children's Dental Care.

Ray Burke

Question:

471 Mr. R. Burke asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the level of parental dissatisfaction with the dental care system which is being provided for school going children; and the proposals, if any, he has to tackle this problem.

Richard Bruton

Question:

474 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has satisfied himself with present policy where non-emergency check-ups at primary schools are only carried out every second year; and his views on whether appointments on demand should be restored to parents who are concerned about the state of their children's teeth.

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 471 and 474 together.

Most health boards are now adopting a planned systematic approach to the delivery of dental services to national school children in preference to a demand based system.

The school based system ensures a more equitable distribution of the dental resources available. This approach aims to examine all children in specific classes and to provide treatment if necessary. These classes are chosen with preventative treatments in mind and to ensure that children are dentally fit before they leave national school.

It is hoped that, in this way, children for whom a service was previously rarely, if ever, demanded and those in greatest need of dental care, will be screened, advised of the services available, educated in dental hygiene and referred for treatment as necessary. This development seeks to provide the optimum service to those in need and to ensure that all children have equal access to the same level of care.

The generally accepted principles of public health dentistry do not require that all children should be screened by a dentist more than once every two years. The small number of children who require more frequent attendances will receive it under the systematic approach.

All eligible children can, of course, avail of an emergency service for the relief of acute conditions requiring urgent attention.