A ROAMING school dentist may face charges of child abuse over allegations that he raped and indecently assaulted primary schoolgirls.

A decision is expected within weeks from James Hamilton, the director of public prosecutions, in relation to a number of complaints by women who attended national schools almost three decades ago.

The man, who retired on a state pension, and worked on behalf of a health board, operated as a “mobile dentist” inspecting children’s teeth in national schools during the 1970s.

It is understood that the health board, which has submitted a report to the Department of Health, has identified “unusual visiting patterns” by the dentist to hundreds of schoolgirls. Only a small number of women have complained to the gardai and the health board about the alleged incidences of abuse.

However, victim support groups expect the tally to rise if the DPP sends the retired dentist forward for trial. The office previously rejected a number of cases but is examining a new batch of them.

The man, now believed to be in his seventies, cannot be named for legal reasons. He is also facing a number of civil actions by some of the complainants.

The health board, which has set up a confidential counselling helpline for all adult victims of abuse throughout its catchment area, said it had passed all relevant files to gardai.

“We are co-operating fully with a garda investigation into alleged instances of child abuse that may involve a former employee of the board,” said a spokesman for the health board. “The former employee has not been in the board’s employment for almost 20 years.

“This co-operation extends to passing files to the gardai in relation to the alleged instances. The health board understands that criminal investigations are ongoing and is precluded from making a detailed statement.”

The health authority is the latest to come under scrutiny in relation to allegations of abuse against children in its care.

The Ferns inquiry, a state investigation into abuse by priests in the diocese of Ferns, is also examining the South Eastern Health Board amid concerns that it knew about the alleged abuse but failed to remove the offending priest from a national school.

Last week, it emerged that the Catholic diocese of Ferns may be forced to sell a bishop’s house in Wexford town to finance compensation for clerical sex abuse claims.

The terms of a state inquiry into clerical sex abuse in the Dublin diocese are currently being finalised.

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