Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 5 Dec 2001

Vol. 545 No. 5

Written Answers. - Orthodontic Service.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

146 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the percentage by which children on waiting lists for orthodontic treatment has been reduced or increased in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31162/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

The management of orthodontic treatment waiting lists is the responsibility of the health boards in the first instance.

The number of patients on the orthodontic treatment waiting lists returned to my Department by the health boards show that there was a decrease of 4.75% in the numbers on their waiting lists for orthodontic treatment in the 12 month period ending September 2001. In addition, the chief executive officers of the health boards have also informed me that at the end of the September 2001 quarter, there were 16,107 patients in orthodontic treatment, an increase of over 580 patients in treatment when compared with the previous quarter. I am confident that the capacity of the public orthodontic service, in terms of the numbers in orthodontic treatment, will increase further as health boards continue to make progress with implementing their proposals under the orthodontic initiative.

In addition to this initiative, structural changes are being introduced into the orthodontic service. These changes include the creation of the grade of specialist in orthodontics, the development of specialist training programmes and the creation of a grade of auxiliary dental worker to work in the orthodontic area. Agreement has now been reached at the Health Service Employers Agency on the creation of the specialist in orthodontics grade in the orthodontic service. In addition, six dentists from the Eastern Regional Health Authority, the North-Eastern Health Board and the South-Eastern Health Board commenced their training in October last for specialist dentist in orthodontics qualifications. Furthermore, three dentists from the Western Health Board and the North-Eastern Health Board are already in specialist training for orthodontics, and this brings the total number of dentists in such training to nine. Discussions on providing an additional training course to commence in 2002 are also under way.

My Department has funded the appointment of a director of specialist training for the Irish Committee for Specialist Training in Dentistry through the Post-graduate Medical and Dental Board. The director has taken up duty and will play a pivotal role in assisting the different agencies involved in dental specialist training programmes. In addition, my Department has also funded the recruitment of a Professor in Orthodontics at Cork University Dental School to facilitate the development of an approved training programme leading to specialist qualifications in orthodontics. Applications for the post were invited when it was advertised on 19 October last. Capital funding of approximately £1 million, 1.269 million, was also provided to the orthodontics unit there for its refurbishment to an appropriate standard. Furthermore, under this initiative, my Department is exploring with health boards new arrangements for the treatment of patients, both by private specialist orthodontic practitioners and in out-of-hours sessions by health board orthodontists.