Vol. 510 No. 3
272 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health and Children the waiting time for orthodontic treatment for children in the Eastern Health Board area of Dublin city; and the number and location of orthodontists available to the board. [22504/99]
The provision of orthodontic services to eligible persons in the Eastern Health Board area is the statutory responsibility of the Eastern Health Board. Orthodontic services in the Eastern Health Board are delivered by one consultant orthodontist, one senior registrar, five senior clinical dental surgeons with M.Orth. qualifications and eight senior clinical dental surgeons. Services are provided from the board's regional orthodontic unit at St. James's Hospital and through its satellite clinics at Crumlin, Blanchardstown, Coolock, Wicklow, Newbridge, Ballinteer, Bray, Kilbarrack, Ballyfermot and Finglas. The waiting time for assessment in the Eastern Health Board is three years and ten months, which has decreased from five years and ten months since 1996 when the consultant-led service was introduced in the board.
