Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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778. To ask the Minister for Health the waiting lists for dental checks for children of six, nine, and 12 years of age by county in tabular form; the areas where there is a delay in children receiving these checks; his actions to ensure these children receive these checks in a timely manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10084/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Dental services for children up to 16 years of age and persons of all ages with special needs are provided by the Public Dental Service of the HSE through its dental clinics. A targeted fissure sealant programme is provided for children aged 6 to 8 and 11 to 13 (usually 2nd and 6th class). These are the optimum ages for the application of fissure sealants. In addition, a screening programme is provided for these age groups with necessary interventions for permanent teeth including fillings and extractions. Referrals for orthodontic or other treatments as required are also made at this time. This is a targeted public health programme for which waiting lists are not applicable.

The HSE prioritises services within the available budget taking account of legislation, policy and key developmental stages for children's teeth. Additional resources have been released in 2015 and into 2016 to improve dental services in areas where there have been difficulties. The provision of dental services for 2nd class and 6th class is monitored by the HSE using performance indicators collated on a monthly basis. This enables the HSE to target any additional resources appropriately. Future service provision will be informed by the National Oral Health Policy, which the Department of Health is currently developing. This three-year project commenced in 2014 and is being led by the Chief Dental Officer. The project includes a needs assessment, a review of resources and involves consultation with stakeholders, including dental professionals and the public.