John Bruton
Question:408 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will extend the school dental service to those in second level schools; and, if so, if he will give the cost of this extension. [8689/98]
Written Answers. - Dental Services.
Dental treatment services for children are being developed in accordance with the Dental Health Action Plan. The plan provides for the extension of eligibility for dental services to children after they leave national school up to 16 years of age on a phased basis. Eligibility for dental sevices has already been extended to children up to their fourteenth birthday.
Routine dental treatment is provided by health boards to eligible children by extending the targeted approach which is currently used in the national schools. Children who have left national school are recalled for screening and provided with appropriate preventive and primary care dental treatment for any defects noted in the course of screening. These children are also provided with emergency treatment to relieve pain on demand. I have provided health boards with additional resources to implement the extension. Health boards are implementing the extension according as they have the necessary additional dental staff in place.
I will further extend the children's dental services up to age 16 years, as provided under the Dental Health Action Plan, according as additional resources are available to me. It is estimated that the cost of this extension will be about £2 million per annum, together with an initial capital requirement of a further £2 million.