Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Oct 2001

Vol. 543 No. 1

Written Answers. - Orthodontic Service.

Michael Creed

Question:

33 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason the Chief Dental Officer has not indicated in writing the guidelines which are to be used when assessing children to determine their eligibility for orthodontic treatment. [21737/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

Orthodontic guidelines were issued by my Department in 1985 and are still in operation. Their purpose is to allow prioritisation of children for orthodontic treatment based on the severity of need.

It is important that health boards identify those patients in greatest need by the use of the orthodontic guidelines and commence timely treatment for them. Patients assessed as category A have severe malocclusions and should receive urgent orthodontic care; patients assessed as category B have less severe problems and are placed on orthodontic treatment waiting lists.

The chief executive officers report on orthodontics, known as the Moran Report, recommended the use of an alternative index of need. This is known as the index of orthodontic treatment need – IOTN. The chief dental officer has advised that this new index should not be implemented until its implications have been evaluated in a national survey of children's dental health. This survey is currently under way and is expected to be completed in April 2002. The purpose of the survey is to identify accurately the number of children that would benefit from orthodontic treatment and the resources needed to meet the corresponding level of care.