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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 23 Mar 1999

Vol. 502 No. 3

Written Answers. - Orthodontic Services.

Liam Lawlor

Ceist:

312 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on the concerns expressed by the regional consultant orthodontist of the Eastern Health Board (details supplied) in relation to the shortage of trained orthodontists and related matters. [7645/99]

I am anxious to ensure that training programmes are established involving the regional orthodontic units and the dental schools under which dentists employed in the units would have an opportunity of achieving post graduate qualifications in orthodontics.

The Joint Committee for Specialist Training in Dentistry, a joint British/Irish body representative of the royal colleges, is the body charged with responsibility for approving post graduate training in dentistry in order to ensure that proper and consistent standards are met between these islands. A dispute has arisen with health board consultants in relation to a visit proposed by the joint committee to assess the suitability of regional orthodontic units in the provision of postgraduate training programmes in orthodontics.
Senior officials of my Department recently met with representatives of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland in the matter and I am hopeful that these developments will lead to progress.
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