Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

475. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which he plans to demonstrate that special dentist training is of a high priority during the implementation of the new national oral health policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44394/19]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

476. To ask the Minister for Health the amount of funding that will be released for training in special care dentistry under the new national oral health policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44395/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 475 and 476 together.

Smile agus Sláinte, the new National Oral Health Policy provides the groundwork to transform oral health services over the next eight years. The community oral healthcare services will centre on vulnerable and special care support services, as well as on needs assessment for people in residential settings and others who require additional supports.

The Policy recognises the need for a suitably skilled workforce to provide appropriate oral healthcare across all settings. This workforce will include oral healthcare professionals providing the highest level of care in advanced oral healthcare centres or in secondary/tertiary care centres, as well as oral healthcare professionals providing oral healthcare advice and preventive care directly to the public in primary oral healthcare settings. A protected educational, training and research environment will be a priority for the implementation of the Policy.

The detail of resource requirements will be agreed as part of the implementation process. The progressing of any measures with resource implications, contained in Smile agus Sláinte, will be dependent on the outcome of the normal budgetary process in any given year.