Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 9 Nov 1999

Vol. 510 No. 3

Written Answers. - Orthodontic Service.

Emmet Stagg

Ceist:

257 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Health and Children the waiting list for orthodontic treatment in the Eastern Health Board area; the split by county; the corresponding waiting list at December 1996; the number of orthodontists available for this treatment at present and in 1996; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22284/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

The provision of orthodontic services and the maintenance of waiting lists in the Eastern Health Board area is the statutory responsibility of the Eastern Health Board. I have made inquiries of the board and the information required is as follows:

Current waiting list for orthodontic assessment in the Eastern Health Board:

Area	Category1	Category2	Category3
Dublin City and County	74	5,825	0
Kildare	2	910	0
Wicklow	7	1,032	0

The corresponding waiting list in 1996:

Area	Category 1	Category 2	Category 3
Dublin City and County	459	7,709	5,035
Kildare	192	1,732	1,312
Wicklow	30	1,235	458

Prior to 1996 anad hoc service was provided by a number of private orthodontists on a sessional basis together with four of the board's dental surgeons who had the Master's Degree in Orthodontics, M.Orth., qualification. The number of sessions by private orthodontists was roughly equivalent to two wholetime clinicians.

The opening of the board's regional orthodontic unit in 1996 in St James's Hospital and the development of a consultant led service has resulted in services being brought in line with clinical standards set by my Department and facilitated the integration of the board's dental surgeons with M.Orth. qualification with the consultant service and the phasing out of private sessional orthodontists. The orthodontic service in the Eastern Health Board is delivered by one consultant orthodontist, one senior registrar, five senior dental surgeons with the M.Orth. qualification and eight senior clinical dental surgeons.