Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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120. To ask the Minister for Health if consideration would be given to updating the Dental Council’s ‘Register of Dentists’ as recommended by a report (details supplied), to include information such as location, services provided, and hours worked, wherein this would provide a reliable overview of the number and availability of practising dentists in the country and allow an informed assessment to feed into workforce planning for the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18369/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Dental Council, under the Dentists Act 1985, establishes and maintains registers relating to dentistry, namely:

• Register of Dentists
• Register of Dental Specialists
• Register of Hygienists
• Register of Dental Nurses
• Register of Clinical Dental Technicians

It is useful that the population has access to information about services provided by oral healthcare professionals. This will initially require the creation of a database of workforce and practice services. In future, aligned with policy, the register maintained by the Dental Council would seem to be the best place to capture some of this information. As the implementation of the National Oral Health Policy progresses this process will commence, and the Department will be working with stakeholders including the Dental Council to support this process.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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121. To ask the Minister for Health if consideration would be given to reviewing the current process for non-EEA dentists to register to practice as dentists in Ireland; if consideration would be given to amendments to modernise and make the process more efficient, particularly regarding the curriculum for these examinations, the frequency with which they are held and the feedback given to candidates, in particular to candidates who fail to meet the required standards in examination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18370/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Dentists Act 1985 establishes the Dental Council as the regulatory body for the dental profession and sets out the routes to registration for all dentists who wish to practice in Ireland. The Dental Council advises that the examination it sets for dentists coming from outside the EEA represents the standard for safe practice in Ireland and is a key measure in the protection of the public. My Department has no role in administering Dental Council examinations or in setting the curriculum. The Dental Council advises that the standard of the examination is benchmarked directly to the standard of final year dentistry exams in Ireland and is already looking at the potential to increase capacity across the examination system.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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122. To ask the Minister for Health what action his Department is taking to ensure that the public dental service is adequately staffed and resourced, in view of recommendations set out in a report (details supplied) which advises that based on the current population, 450 whole-time equivalent dental posts are needed in the HSE public dental service in order to address the difficulties apparent in the service, and to enable the service deliver on its stated objectives of preventing dental health difficulties as well as caring for and treating children and other vulnerable groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18371/23]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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124. To ask the Minister for Health if consideration would be given to establishing a management/leadership group under the auspices of his Department, comprised of representatives of the relevant Departments of State, statutory agencies and dental educational institutions, for the purposes of implementing Smile Agus Sláinte 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18373/23]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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125. To ask the Minister for Health what action his Department is taking to ensure that a modern system of clinical surveillance, as contained in Smile Agus Sláinte 2019, is put in place to ensure that same continues to be effective; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18374/23]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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126. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department will support an information campaign to raise awareness of the new service arrangements, as contained in Smile Agus Sláinte 2019, for the purposes of informing parents of these new services when they are in place, and in supporting the promotion of fluoride toothpaste in line with current WHO guidance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18375/23]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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127. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department will actively engage with dental practitioners and their representative bodies to promote appropriate toothpaste use, in line with WHO evidence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18376/23]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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128. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department will engage with the appropriate bodies to actively advance the introduction of preventative packages for children and adults to support EU and Irish regulations which require the phase-down of amalgam fillings, that such packages would be delivered by private dental practices subject to the appropriate contracts being put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18377/23]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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131. To ask the Minister for Health if he will engage with the appropriate agencies/bodies to facilitate identification of vulnerable groups for the purposes of enabling them to access periodontal treatment, and further as a means of preventing early death and increased morbidity, as well as leading to a substantial improvement in health outcomes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18380/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 122, 124 to 128, inclusive, and 131 together.

The National Oral Health Policy, Smile agus Sláinte, sets out a new model of oral healthcare delivery, moving from episodic care to a life course approach. The policy will enable preventative approaches to be prioritised, improve access, and support interventions appropriate to current and future oral health needs.

The Policy delivery in the HSE will have three strategic strands:

• Health and oral health promotion and protection programmes;

• Oral healthcare service provision;

• Evaluation of oral health in the population (clinical surveillance programme).

There will be a particular focus on improved oral healthcare services for all vulnerable groups, including people in nursing and residential homes. Oral health surveillance will be an adjunct to, and, where possible, part of, routine visits to local dentists at key targeted ages for the whole population. The development of appropriate advice on toothpaste use and progress on preventive packages and outlining of measures to support the phase-down of amalgam are among the priority actions of the Policy.

The HSE will drive reform in the delivery of oral healthcare services, including developing a national oral health evaluation programme and any associated information campaigns that may be required.

My Department is working with the HSE to ensure the establishment of focused structures to drive implementation of the Policy, including an oversight structure. My Department is also developing a cross-Governmental oversight structure which will produce the overall policy implementation plan and ensure that involved Departments and agencies are accountable for their progress under the plan.

I recognise that the HSE Public Dental Service needs to be staffed appropriately in order to provide the care it is tasked to provide. The Department will support and resource the HSE to gradually reorient to provide the functions that the National Oral Health Policy ascribes to the HSE Public Dental Service, as implementation of the National Oral Health Policy proceeds over its eight-year implementation period.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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123. To ask the Minister for Health what action his Department is taking to address the current waiting list for screening and treatment in orthodontic services in the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18372/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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130. To ask the Minister for Health if he will give consideration to the introduction of a bill to amend the Dentists Act 1985, to reflect recent developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18379/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Dentists Act 1985 provides for the promotion of high standards of professional education and professional conduct among dentists so that patient health and safety are safeguarded and legislates for the regulation of dentists in Ireland. The Act was amended by the Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Act 2020, which was signed into law in October 2020.

While the Dentists Act 1985 has served the public and the profession well, I am aware that the it needs to be updated to align with other healthcare profession regulatory legislation. It is intended to update the legislation in order to support the reforms to oral healthcare services and to the oral healthcare profession outlined in the National Oral Health Policy, Smile agus Sláinte.

The process of developing legislation will involve consultation with the public and stakeholders. The protection of the public and ensuring high professional standards will remain the central focus of the new legislation. New legislation must also progress in the context of and in support of the fundamental reforms of dental services envisaged in the national policy over the coming years – it cannot stand alone.