Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

786. To ask the Minister for Health the additional support and resources that are to be provided to the north Dublin city and county orthodontic unit in 2022 and 2023 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9560/22]

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

Dental care for children under 16 is provided by the Public Dental Service of the HSE. Emergency care is provided for all children under 16. In addition, targeted screening and prevention is provided for school children at certain dental developmental milestones and for special needs groups.

In 2015 the Department of Health approved a Treatment Waiting List Initiative, with an allocation of €1million per annum, to target patients who were waiting over 4 years for treatment. A procurement commenced in 2016 and ended in 2020. It resulted in 1,996 patients having treatment with private Specialist Orthodontists at a total cost of €5.65m.

In 2021, the HSE commenced a new procurement that allows patients to have treatment with private Specialist Orthodontists. It replaces the previous procurement that ended in 2020. Under the new procurement the first patients were allocated to private Specialist Orthodontists in Q3 of 2021. By the end of 2021, 870 patients had commenced treatment under these arrangements. The allocation of patients to private Specialist Orthodontists is continuing in 2022.

The HSE advise that children who are 16 or under have access to treatment through the HSE for emergency treatment.