Noel Treacy
Question:122 Mr. N. Treacy asked the Minister for Health if he will guarantee that all adults and children requiring dental treatment in 1997 will receive such treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8623/97]
Written Answers. - Dental Service.
Limerick East): It is my intention that a full range of dental treatment designed to achieve oral health goals will be extended to all adults with medical card entitlements under the dental treatment services scheme. The dental treatment services scheme is part of the Dental Health Action Plan and private dental practitioners, under contract to health boards, are significant providers of services under the scheme. As provided under the Dental Health Action Plan, the scheme is being introduced on a phased basis. In the intitial phase of the scheme, which commenced on 1 November, 1994, emergency dental treatment was made available to all adults. Routine dental treatment and priority full denture treatment was made available to persons 65 years of age or older.
Under the second phase of the scheme, which commenced on 1 June 1996, routine dental treatment was extended to persons in the 16-34 year age group and full denture treatment was extended to all edentulous persons.
In 1997 my Department is providing an additional £4 million to health boards for the development of the scheme. A total of £15 million is now available to health boards annually for the scheme. The significant level of funding now being provided together with the exercise of more effective control on the emergency element of the scheme will enable health boards to put in place service plans for dealing effectively with existing waiting lists for routine and full denture treatment.
As regards the provision of dental treatment to children the position is that for the past number of years health boards have been progressively adopting a planned targeted approach to the delivery of dental services to national school children and phasing out a demand-led system. This is to ensure the optimum use of dental resources and equal access for all national school children to the same level of dental care.
The school based approach puts an important emphasis on dental health education and prevention. Dental health education programmes are now available to all national schools. Children in specific classes are targeted for preventive measures under the school based approach. The children in these classes are screened and referred for treatment as necessary. The provision of fissure sealants for vulnerable teeth is an important element of the preventive programme. The programme has been specifically designed to ensure that children are dentally fit before they leave national school. The small number of children who require more frequent attention will be identified and the required level of advice, checkups, treatment, etc, provided as necessary. An emergency service for acute conditions requiring immediate attention is available on demand.
Under the Dental Health Action Plan, eligibility for dental services will be extended, on a phased basis, to children who have left national school and are under 16 years of age. The necessary legislation is now in place and I have made regulations extending eligibility to children under 14 years of age. The purposes of this extension is to achieve continuity of dental health care between the health board service for pupils of national schools and the health board service for medical card holders and their dependants. The range of dental services to be provided will include preventive primary care dental services such as dental health education, examination, scaling and polishing and preventive treatments such as fissure sealing and topical applications. Health boards are being provided with the additional resources necessary to implement this extension.