The HSE provides orthodontic treatment to those who have been assessed and referred for treatment before their 16th birthday. It should be noted that the nature of orthodontic care means that immediate treatment is not always desirable. It is estimated that in up to 5% of cases it is necessary to wait for further growth to take place before treatment commences. Patients are assessed by the HSE Orthodontic Service under the modified Index of Treatment Need. Patients with the greatest level of need i.e. Grade 5 or Grade 4 are provided with treatment by the HSE.
Information on waiting times is collated by the HSE by region and for the intervals as shown. The information on waiting times for treatment for Quarter 2 of 2015 for the two HSE regions which include Dublin is as follows:
Waiting time from assessment to commencement of treatment
|
1 - 6 months
|
7 - 12 months
|
13 - 24 months
|
25-48
months
|
Over 48 months
|
TOTAL
|
HSE Dublin Mid-Leinster
|
897
|
985
|
1,675
|
1,243
|
199
|
4,999
|
HSE Dublin North East
|
271
|
518
|
1,032
|
1,585
|
748
|
4,154
|
While there is no scheme in place whereby the HSE makes arrangements for patients to receive orthodontic treatment in Northern Ireland, under EU Directive 201/24/EU, now commonly referred to as the Cross Border Directive (CBD), it is open to persons entitled to public patient healthcare in Ireland to choose to avail of that healthcare in another EU or EEA country or Switzerland. Such patients are reimbursed to a maximum of the level of cost that would have been assumed if this healthcare had been provided in this jurisdiction. The care must be provided outside the State and may be availed of in the public or private sector. The CBD does not provide for the patient to access the care in his or her State of residence.
At present a national procurement process is underway to provide treatment for certain categories of misalignment by a panel of independent practitioners under contract to the HSE over the next three years. This initiative will especially focus on those waiting for 4 years or longer. It is expected that this initiative will commence later this year and will have a positive impact on waiting times.