Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 20 Sep 1995

Vol. 455 No. 8

Written Answers. - Dental Treatment.

Rory O'Hanlon

Ceist:

83 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Health the number of persons over 65 years of age awaiting dental treatment in each health board area; the number of persons over 65 years of age who received routine treatment; and the total number of people who attended for emergency treatment under the national dental scheme. [12890/95]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): Information available to the Department indicates that there are waiting lists in two health board areas. The details are as follows:

Waiting List for Routine/Denture Treatment

Health Board
North-Eastern	1,059
South-Eastern	379

The Department has been in contact with both boards regarding their waiting lists. The North-Eastern Health Board is addressing its waiting list by issuing additional authorisations for dental treatment. The South-Eastern Health Board has informed the Department that the average waiting time for authorisation under the scheme in its region for routine dental treatment is two months. The Department is monitoring the position with a view to further reducing this waiting time.

On the basis of claims paid by the GMS (Payments) Board the following numbers of people were treated under the dental treatment scheme between November 1994 and August 1995: emergency, 51,564; routine, 5,791.