£4 Million Boost For NI Dental Services

Northern Ireland will receive an extra £4 million to improving its dental services, it has been revealed.

Health Minister Michael McGimpsey announced the £4.4 million investment today in a statement to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Mr McGimpsey said the new measures will allow the health service to start directly addressing the problems of gaps in provision, which are a matter of real concern to the public.

Of the investment, £2 million will be spent on allowances to help dental practices meet overhead costs.

A further £1.5 million will be made available to help dentists with the costs of necessary equipment and procedures in order to improve patient safety.

The investment will also help ensure an adequate supply of new young dentists into the profession, along with £500,000 being made available to significantly increase vocational training allowances for trainers taking up new graduates.

Health boards across the province, will also be allocated £400,000 to help grow the salaried dentists sector to plug gaps in health service provision.

The Minister explained that the additional funding for Practice Allowances would be directed towards those practices committed to providing health service dentistry to the full range of patients, including adults who pay for their treatment.

Mr McGimpsey said: “I very much hope that the significant investments I have outlined will encourage dentists not only to come into and stay in the health service, but to come back to it where they have currently opted for private practice.

“I cannot accept a situation where there remain geographical pockets within Northern Ireland where dentists have ceased to provide health service dentistry, or provide it only to patients who are exempt from charges.

“I am determined to provide fair and equable payment for Health Service treatment of patients in Northern Ireland.”

(LC/SP)