School Dental Service
The Minister said there is no statutory requirement for health boards to provide dental services in second-level schools, though some pupils qualify through existing schemes. In response to concerns that delays in orthodontic treatment leave pupils ineligible after moving to secondary school, he cited additional orthodontists and said he would examine whether those waiting could be covered; Question No. 33 was postponed.
asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on the dental service available in second level schools to ensure a proper standard of dental hygiene and prevention of tooth decay.
Comment on this
I do not have information on dental services provided in second level schools. There is no statutory obligation on health boards to provide dental services in such schools.
Many pupils in second level schools are eligible for and avail themselves of dental services provided by health boards. These pupils would generally be dependants of medical card holders, pupils for whom a course of treatment had been commenced but not concluded while they were at national school or pupils who obtain medical cards on reaching 16 years of age. All pupils of second level schools are, of course, exposed to general measures adopted on a national or local basis to prevent dental disease and promote dental hygiene.
I might add that, as soon as dental services for existing eligible groups reach an acceptable level, consideration will be given to extending eligibility in their own right to adolescents as a group.
Comment on this
I would like to draw the Minister's attention to the difficulty where there have been long delays experienced, particularly in orthodontic treatment, and children, having left national school and gone on to secondary school before treatment commences, find themselves ineligible for treatment by the health board. Would the Minister comment on this and say if it would be possible to have this treatment available to children in secondary schools who have not commenced it in national school?
Comment on this
I appreciate the point the Deputy is making. As a first measure I have recently made provision for an additional number of orthodontists to deal with the situation. I appreciate the position the Deputy raises in that people may have been waiting and if the service had been available they would have availed of it and would have been able to continue that treatment under the regulations as they exist. I will certainly look into that to see if there is any way any definition can be given to such people.
