Duties of Office

Principal Dental Surgeon Duties - Regional Duties and Planning and Evaluation 1

The holder of the office shall:

  1. to such extent as may be required by the Health Board:-
    1. supervise and be responsible to it for the efficient operation of its Dental Services, and
    2. direct, supervise and co-ordinate the work load of the dental surgeons employed by the Health Board,
  2. be responsible for the efficient operation of any general dental services contracted out by the Board to general dental practitioners;
  3. assist and advise the Health Board in the organisation and development of its dental services, and as to any general matters relating to those services;
  4. advise the Health Board on the allocation of work amongst the different dentists employed by it or providing services on its behalf;
  5. examine returns of work submitted by individual dentists employed by the Health Board or providing services on its behalf;
  6. investigate complaints regarding dental matters when requested by the Health Board to do so;
  7. monitor the implementation of fluoridation including the addition of fluoride to piped water supplies when required;
  8. provide, in person, a dental service (including treatment) at the times and centres prescribed from time to time by the Health Board for patients eligible for dental services which the Health Board is or may be under an obligation to provide;
  9. provide, in person, a dental service (including treatment) for patients admitted to any health institution maintained by the Health Board;
  10. provide, in person, at such times and centres as may be arranged, a dental service (including treatment) on behalf of any other Health Board which has entered into an arrangement with the employing Health Board for the provision of such a service;
  11. if so required, provide an emergency dental service from time to time;
  12. direct and undertake any necessary field trials and/or epidemiological studies;
  13. direct, supervise and co-ordinate any necessary continuing dental education of health service personnel including Vocational Trainees;
  14. direct and supervise, as required, any existing auxiliary dental staff and any operating/non-operating auxiliary dental staff employed in connection with the dental services provided by the Health Board and provide such training as may be necessary;
  15. complete such record cards and prepare and supply such reports and other information as may be required by the Health Board from time to time;
  16. participate fully in the development and use of health information systems;
  17. develop, implement and participate in clinical audit programmes;
  18. develop, implement and participate in preventive programmes including oral health promotion programmes;
  19. when required by the Health Board attend special training or refresher courses in dentistry (including dental public health) approved by the Minister;
  20. attend meetings as may be determined by the Chief Executive Officer or Programme Manager from time to time;
  21. devote the whole of his/her time to the duties of the office and not at any time to engage in private practice;
  22. reside at a centre approved by the Chief Executive Officer of the Health Board.

REGIONAL DUTIES

The holder of the office shall perform such other duties, including regional duties, as may be appropriate to the office as may be assigned to him/her from time to time by the Health Board/Area Health Board

As well as their Community Care Area responsibilities each Principal Dental Surgeon will have defined regional roles across the health board. These roles would cross geographic and programme boundaries.

The main areas which would benefit from this regional approach may include:

  1. the Dental Treatment Services scheme
  2. dental health education and dental health promotion
  3. water fluoridation and all other fluoride schemes
  4. special needs services and programmes
  5. co-ordination of secondary care dental services
  6. co-ordination of hospital care dental services
  7. co-ordination of emergency dental services
  8. organisation and co-ordination of oral services, research, epidemiology and statistics]
  9. dental equipment procurement
  10. dental supplies procurement
  11. co-ordination of health board dental services research.

PLANNING AND EVALUATION

The holder of the office shall perform such other duties, including regional duties, as may be appropriate to the office as may be assigned to him/her from time to time by the Chief Executive Officer.

As well as their Community Care Area responsibilities each Principal Dental Surgeon (Planning and Evaluation) will have defined regional responsibilities across the health board area which would include the following:

  • to participate in the planning, development and evaluation of services;
  • to contribute to the identification of service needs;
  • to identify measures for the promotion of public dental health;
  • to participate, with other professional disciplines, in the implementation of policies and programmes;
  • to provide appropriate dental and fluoridation advice and guidance to local authorities as required;
  • to participate, as required, in joint programmes and studies between health boards.

1It should be noted that with the demise of the Health Boards and the introduction of four regions within the HSE, the role of Principal Dental Surgeon (P&E) has effectively become redundant, especially with the expansion of the former Area Roles into better defined Regional Roles. As agreed between the HSEEA and the Principals' representatives, these roles embrace the Planning and Evaluation of Childrens' Services; Special Needs; Resources incl. purchase, HR and CDE; Information Management and Technology; Epidemiology; Quality, Audit, Health and Safety, and Risk Management; Fluoridation; Oral Health Promotion; DTSS; and Cross-border Initiatives.
Although these Regional responsibilities have clearly become more onerous, the HSE maintains the anomalous pay structure, confining the P&E salary to those posts where the incumbent occupied that role at the introduction of the HSE, even where the post is subject to new competition. The absurdity of this situation is being submitted for independent arbitration. |

Agreement between HSEEA and IDA/IMPACT

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Senior Administrative Dental Surgeon

  1. To provide a dental service at the centres and times determined from time to time by the Chief Executive Officer, or other designated officer, of the Health Board for patients eligible for dental services which the Health Board is or may be under the obligation to provide.
  2. To participate as required in any preventive programme.
  3. To participate as required in the organisation and delivery of health promotion and oral health promotion programmes.
  4. To provide as appropriate a dental service for patients admitted to any institution maintained by the Health Board.
  5. To provide at such times and places as may be arranged, a dental service on behalf of any other Health Board which has entered into an arrangement with the employing Health Board for the provision of such a service;
  6. To provide, if so required, an emergency dental service from time to time.
  7. To direct and supervise as required any existing auxiliary dental staff and any additional operating/non-operating auxiliary dental staff employed in connection with the dental services provided by the Health Board and provide such training as may be necessary
  8. To be responsible or the co-ordination of the work and general guidance of any Vocational Trainee Dental Practitioner assigned to him/her.
  9. To such extent as may be required by the Chief Executive Officer or other designated officer, supervise and be responsible for the efficient operation of any of the Health Board's dental clinics and direct, superintend and co-ordinate the workload of the dental surgeons working in those clinics.
  10. To assist, as required, with any field trials and/or epidemiological studies.
  11. To participate in the continuing dental education of other health service personnel.
  12. To complete such record cards and supply such reports and other information as may be required by the Chief Executive Officer, or other designated officer, from time to time.
  13. To co-operate with the introduction of appropriate information systems developed to cater for the needs of the dental service and to fully participate in their use.
  14. When required by the Chief Executive Officer, or other designated officer, attend special training or refresher courses in dentistry (including dental public health) approved by the Minister.
  15. To attend meetings as may be determined by the Chief Executive Officer, or other designated officer, from time to time;
  16. To participate in clinical audit and, subject to the direction of the Health Board Principal Dental Surgeon to implement clinical audit in his/her own area.
  17. To devote the whole of his/her time to the duties of the office and not at any time to engage in private practice.
  18. To reside at such place as may be approved by the Chief Executive Officer, or other designated officer, of the health board.
  19. To perform such other duties appropriate to the office as may be assigned to him/her from time to time by the Chief Executive Officer, or other designated officer.

While the role of the Senior Dental Surgeon Administrative will be largely clinical, he/she will also have an important role in assisting the Principal Dental Surgeon in the day to day running of the dental services in that area.

The duties assigned to the officer appointed will include responsibility, under the direction of the Principal Dental Surgeon, for the following:

  1. To assist the Principal Dental Surgeon in the day to day running of the dental service.
  2. In the absence of the Principal Dental Surgeon, to act as Deputy Principal Dental Surgeon.
  3. At administrative level to work closely with the Community Care Manager, as well as with heads of other community care disciplines
  4. To act as adviser to junior staff at all levels.
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Senior - Special Needs

Duties are as for Senior Administrative Dental Surgeon, Paragraphs 1 to 19. Specific duties are as follows:

  1. To identify specific target groups in the community who may have difficulty in gaining access to or accepting oral health care or who may be at greater risk from dental disease or oral dysfunction than the majority of the population e.g. institutionalised, elderly, homeless, travellers, medically compromised, at risk children, or other identified target groups.
  2. To prioritise the oral health needs of these groups.
  3. To liaise with other disciplines on how to access/identify these groups.
  4. To develop strategies for targeting these groups.
  5. To audit the structuring process and out-come processes of such strategies.
  6. To identify, participate, and supervise the on-going training needs of dental staff working with people with special needs.
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Senior - Specific Duties

The duties to be assigned to the Officer appointed will include responsibility under the general direction of the Principal Dental Surgeon for the provision of one or more special aspects of the dental service, for instance, Paediatric Dentistry, Dental Public Health, Geriatric Dentistry, Restorative Dentistry, Oral Surgery, Dental Radiography, Periodontology, Endodontics, and staff training. Appointees who have not had the relevant experience will be required to attend an educational training course or courses.
Duties are as for Senior Administrative Dental Surgeon, Paragraphs 1 to 19. but as well, the officer appointed to one of these posts will:

  1. Advise the Principal Dental Surgeon on all aspects of dentistry involved in their appointed duties,
  2. Directly provide and organise the specific services,
  3. Assess and evaluate the specific services, and
  4. Ensure that they remain up-to-date on all aspects of their specific duties through continuous dental education.
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Senior - Geographical Area

The duties to be assigned to the Officer appointed will include responsibility under the general direction of the Principal Dental Surgeon for the provision of a wide range of dental services to eligible patients in his/her geographically isolated area. Therefore, in addition to general dental care to the eligible population, the remit of the Senior Dental Surgeon - Geographical Area may also include the following:

  1. To co-ordinate and provide appropriate care to special needs groups in liaison with the Senior Dental Surgeon - Special Needs,
  2. to provide minor oral surgery,
  3. to provide primary orthodontic care which may be supervised and guided by the Consultant Orthodontist and the Principal Dental Surgeon,
  4. to co-ordinate and provide care to eligible adults,
  5. to carrying out epidemiological fieldwork,
  6. to ensure quality assessment and assurance in relation to services for which he/she is responsible.
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