Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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164. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the waiting times for orthodontic assessments in each county in Leinster; and following assessment, the waiting times for treatment in each county. [21025/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The HSE provides orthodontic treatment to those who have been assessed and referred for treatment before their 16th birthday. It should be noted that the nature of orthodontic care means that immediate treatment is not always desirable. It is estimated that in up to 5% of cases it is necessary to wait for further growth to take place before treatment commences. Patients are assessed by the HSE Orthodontic Service under the modified Index of Treatment Need. Patients with the greatest level of need i.e. Grade 5 or Grade 4 are provided with treatment by the HSE. Information on waiting times is collated by the HSE by region rather than by county and for the intervals as shown below. The most recent information on assessment and treatment waiting lists relates to the first quarter of 2015.