Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Feb 1999

Vol. 500 No. 4

Written Answers. - Orthodontic Services.

Nora Owen

Question:

262 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Health and Children the amount of people who are waiting for orthodontic treatment in each health board area; the number of consultants working for each health board; the number of dentists in training programs in orthodontistry in each health board; and the colleges which are certifying this training. [4279/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

The provision of orthodontic treatment to eligible persons and the maintenance of waiting lists are the statutory responsibility of the eight regional health boards. I have had inquiries made of the eight health boards and the information requested is as follows:

Health Board	Number Awaiting Treatment	Number of Consultants	Number of dentists in training programmes	College Certifying Training
EHB	–Nil awaiting treatment–7,223 awaiting assessment	1	0
MHB	538	0*	0
MWHB	1,031	1	1	Not recognised by any college
NEHB	2,099	1	0
NWHB	1,600	1	0
SEHB	511	1	1	Guys Hospital, London
Health Board	Number Awaiting Treatment	Number of Consultants	Number of dentists in training programmes	College Certifying Training
SHB	4,168	1	0
WHB	3,500	1	0

*The Midland Health Board have endeavoured on several occasions to recruit a consultant orthodontist but to date have been unsuccessful. There are no full time orthodontists in this board but services are provided by sessional orthodontists.

The chief dental officer of my Department has been in contact with the dental schools in Dublin and Cork and the Joint Committee for Specialist Training in Dentistry to agree a training programme for health board dentists working in the regional orthodontic units. However, some difficulties have arisen between the parties involved. My Department through the chief dental officer is exploring ways in which this issue might be further progressed.