Catherine Connolly
Question:1806. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health his plans to extend free dental care to all children in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40555/22]
View answerTuesday, 26 July 2022
Questions (1806)
Written answers
Smile agus Sláinte, the National Oral Health Policy, which was published in April 2019 supports a preventive approach to oral healthcare. It includes proposals for the introduction of packages of care for children from birth to 16 years of age to be delivered by local dental practices.
The implementation of the policy by the HSE has been delayed because of the necessary concentration of resources to manage the Covid-19 pandemic. The timeframe for the delivery of the Policy is over 8 years by 2030 to align with the WHO Oral Health Strategy timeframe. Work is currently underway to design a framework to oversee implementation of the Policy.