To ask the Minister of Health to detail any actions his Department has considered to improve access to dental care for vulnerable populations, including children requiring general anaesthetic extractions and elderly patients in care homes.

Children, young people and adults receive dental care across a range of settings in Northern Ireland: General Dental Services (GDS), Community Dental Services (CDS), and the Hospital Dental Services (HDS).

All five Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland provide CDS, which deals with patients who require standard dental treatments, but are not suitable to receive their care in General Dental practice. In addition to referrals from the GDS, the CDS also undertake regular screening sessions of day care facilities for patients with physical, sensory and learning disabilities and care homes for older persons. Through this process CDS identify those individuals who require follow-up treatment.

Many child patients referred into the CDS only require the service for one-off specialist or complex interceptive procedures, such as General Anaesthetic (GA). Regionally, in 2023-24, the number of children receiving dental treatment under GA was approximately 90% of the 2019-20 figure. In 2023-24, the CDS saw over 3,400 children for extractions under GA.

All dental services were markedly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, with many services stood or scaled down, and services are still in recovery. GA waiting lists in all Trusts were severely impacted and access for CDS staff to theatre lists has still not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Reductions in the number of patients waiting for a GA assessment and GA treatment have been made through prioritisation of staff for GA aspects of the CDS service as well as proactive utilisation of any available HSC Trust lists. Attempts are also being made to maximise the use of alternatives to GA.

Dental access enhancement initiatives which my Department has funded in 2024/25 include £1m for an Enhanced Child Examination Scheme, £4.3m for a 30% enhancement to fees paid to dentists for priority treatments, and £3.9m for a Dental Access Scheme for the treatment of high priority unregistered patients. Approximately 500 patients per week are currently seen under the Dental Access Scheme.

A Dental Survey of care home residents, commissioned by my Department, is currently underway. The results of the survey will help inform the design of future dental services.