Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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288. To ask the Minister for Health the desirable staffing ratios in public dental practices within CHO8 between dentists, dental nurses, hygienists and technicians. [36468/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The HSE provides dental services for children aged up to and including 15 years, and adults and children with special care needs. The nature of dental treatment requires two dental team members, either a dentist and dental nurse or a dental hygienist and dental nurse for each procedure. Clinical teams work to ensure that treatment is provided in a safe and effective way, with the necessary safeguards in place for children and vulnerable adults.

Factors including the burden of dental disease in the population, the distribution of disease across the population and the type of service to be delivered would affect any calculation of a desirable staffing ratio. The ratio of clinicians (dentists, dental hygienists) to dental nurses and administrative support staff in a specific clinic will vary according to the number of surgeries, decontamination facilities and the type of service being provided in a particular location. The HSE does not directly employ Technicians.