Vol. 416 No. 8
109 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he will outline his plans to improve the public dental services in the North-Eastern Health Board area in light of the recently published and highly critical report on this matter.
My Department has made a special additional allocation to the North-Eastern Health Board over each of the past few years for the development of adult dental services and orthodontic services. The overall allocation to the board for 1992 includes a repeat of the special provision in respect of the continuing development of dental services for adults and the improvement of orthodontic services.
Officers of my Department met with the deputy chief executive officer of the North-Eastern Health Board on 6 February 1992 and reviewed the provision of dental services by the board with particular reference to the Meath community care area where a new principal dental surgeon took up duty in autumn of 1991.
The following action is being taken or has already been taken to improve the situation in the Meath area:
All waiting lists are currently being validated and placed on a new computerised system, which was funded by the Department of Health.
All internal management and clinical management procedures have been tightened up in line with the best management and clinical practice.
Essential equipment has been ordered and some has already been delivered to the area. A new orthopantomograph for orthodontic assessment will be in place by midsummer.
A new mobile clinic to deal with the needs of north Meath, and in particular, Oldcastle, will be in place by May.
Two new dental surgeons have been recruited.
