asked the Minister for Health if he will give details of the average time patients have to remain on the waiting list at the Dublin dental hospital and all other public dental clinics for orthodontic treatment; if he will give the reason for such delay; and what steps he is taking to improve the position.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Orthodontic Treatment.
44.
Public dental officers in many health authority areas can, and do, provide simple orthodontic treatment in the ordinary course of their work.
Where specialised orthodontic treatment is required, however, Dublin Dental Hospital has to provide it for eligible children from most health authority areas. The demand for services is such that the waiting time, for non-priority cases, may be up to two years. There is no waiting list in Cork where a local orthodontist sees eligible children at weekly sessions.
The basic reason for the lengthy waiting time is that there are very few specialist orthodontists in practice. I am having the position examined to see what can be done to increase the number of orthodontist, particularly outside the Dublin area.