Theresa Ahearn
Ceist:108 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Health the dental services that are available for teenagers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5041/96]
Written Answers. - Dental Services for Teenagers.
Limerick East): The dental health action plan provides for the extension of eligibility for dental services to children up to 16 years of age. I have already extended eligibility for dental services to children after they leave national school up to their fourteenth birthday.
Treatment will be provided by health boards to these children by extending the targeted approach which is currently used in the national schools. Children who have left national school will be recalled, as appropriate, screened and provided with appropriate preventive and primary care dental care treatment for any defect noted in the course of screening. These children will be provided with emergency treatment to relieve pain on demand. I have requested each health board to implement the extension as soon as possible having regard to the resources available to the boards.
The question of a further extension in 1977 will be considered in the context of the funds available to me in that year for the development of dental services. In addition, children over 14 years of age who are dependants of medical card holders are entitled to dental treatment services. Under the recently introduced dental treatment services scheme, medical card holders and their dependants receive emergency dental treatment to relieve pain through private dental practioners. I intend to introduce routine dental treatment to medical card holders and their dependants in the 16-34 year old age group with effect from 1 April 1996.