Public Consultation on National Oral Health Policy
Notice of Public Consultation
The Minister for Health and Children, Mary Harney, T.D., recently announced the development of a new National Oral Health Policy.
This new oral health policy will be undertaken by the Department of Health and Children, in conjunction with the HSE. The development of this new national policy will allow a critical examination of the many challenges and issues currently facing the dental sector in Ireland.
The Department of Health and Children is now seeking submissions from members of the public or interested groups on the new National Oral Health Policy.
Some of the main areas which it is intended to examine in the development of the new policy are as follows;
- A revised regulatory regime for the dental sector in Ireland culminating in a new Dentists Act.
- The integration of oral health in the wider health care delivery system to include enhanced synergies with health promotion, children’s health, primary care partnerships, disability services, long stay care and services for older people.
- Competition issues as raised by the Competition Authority in its report/s on the dental profession in Ireland.
- Manpower planning, specialization and skills-mix including the recognition and future expansion of role of auxiliary dental professions and the identification of appropriate training needs.
- Examining the possibility of stream-lining the existing state-funded dental schemes.
- Service delivery issues such as orthodontic services, and special needs dentistry.
By E-mail to: oralhealth@health.gov.ie
By Post
National Oral Health Policy ConsultationPublic Health Division
Department of Health and Children
Hawkins House
Dublin 2
Telephone: 01 635 4000
Lo-call: 1890 200 311
Latest date for receipt of responses is Friday 1st February, 2008
