The WTE numbers for dental and orthodontic staff employed by the HSE at the end of March 2022 are as follows:
Staff Category/Grade
|
WTE
|
Total WTE
|
807.12
|
Consultant Orthodontist
|
11.17
|
Medical & Dental
|
11.17
|
Dental Hygienist
|
54.04
|
Dental Hygienist, Senior
|
3.00
|
Health & Social Care Professionals
|
57.04
|
Dental Surgeon, General
|
155.67
|
Dental Surgeon, Principal
|
24.76
|
Dental Surgeon, Senior
|
45.33
|
Dental Surgeon, Senior Administrative
|
22.28
|
Orthodontics, Specialist
|
41.33
|
Medical & Dental
|
289.37
|
Dental Nurse
|
350.82
|
Dental Nurse, Senior
|
61.18
|
Dental Surgery Assistant (unqualified)
|
37.54
|
Patient & Client Care
|
449.54
|
The nature of dental treatment requires two dental team members, typically a dentist and dental nurse or a dental hygienist and a dental nurse for each procedure. In addition, there are a number of factors that affect calculation of an optimum levels of staffing of dental nurses, including the number of surgeries, decontamination facilities and the type of service being provided in a particular location.