Vol. 494 No. 5
94 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will establish training pathways linking the regional consultant orthodontist bodies with the Dublin Dental Hospital to allow staff to continue to provide a valuable service while attending lectures one day per fortnight at the academic institution. [18912/98]
I am concerned to ensure that postgraduate training programmes of both dental schools in orthodontics and other disciplines adequately reflect current and future needs of the public dental service under the Health Strategy and the Dental Health Action Plan. My Department recently had discussions with the heads of the two dental schools on this issue. Following these discussions the chief dental officer of my Department requested the joint committee for specialist training in dentistry — JCSTD — to arrange a visitation to the regional orthodontic units in Dublin, Galway and Cork by the specialist advisory committee — SAC — in orthodontics and paediatric dentistry. The purpose of the visitation by the SAC is to provide independent assessment of the suitability of the trainees working in the units, the proposed training programmes and the training centres for post graduate training in orthodontics. I understand that the request for a visitation will be considered at the next meeting of the SAC.
