Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 December 2004
106 Dr. Twomey asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she intends to advise health boards to increase preventative dental work on children’s baby teeth due to the fact that maintaining baby teeth helps to prevent future orthodontic work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31760/04]
View answer121 Mr. Connaughton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will issue guidelines to health boards or to their equivalent to ensure that their dental policies are proactive in saving children’s baby teeth, especially molars, due to the fact that baby molars help guide the permanent molars; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31761/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 121 together.
As the Deputy is aware, statutory responsibility for the provision of dental services to eligible persons rests with the health boards or authority in the first instance. My Department, in conjunction with the health boards or authority and University College Cork, is currently carrying out a survey of the oral health of the general population in Ireland, the national survey of adult and children's dental health, the results of which will inform future policy decisions with regard to dental health policy. As part of this research the targeted approach to service delivery is being examined. Preliminary results indicate that current policy is very effective. The preliminary results show that the average number of primary teeth which were decayed, missing or filled due to decay among five year olds living in fluoridated areas has dropped from 5.6 in the 1960s to one in 2002. This is a very positive trend. The results of the oral health survey and research will, when completed, inform future policy decisions in this area and will have a major impact on the evolution of dental services.
