Since 2002, following agreement between the Department of Health and Children and the GMS Payments Board, data from the DTSS payments database has been transferred routinely to the Oral Health Services Research Centre (OHSRC), in University College, Cork for analysis. Queries have been developed in the OHSRC to provide individual level data on the treatments provided to patients, such asexaminations, extractions, fillings, scale and polish, removal/amputation of roots, root treatment (upper and lower anterior teeth), radiographs, partial dentures and full dentures, and also data on the characteristics of the dentist providing services.The DTSS data has even greater potential as a rich source for future research when it is merged with the Medical Card Register, provided by the health boards, which provide demographic and socio-economic characteristics of medical card holders.The analysis of patterns of utilisation of oral health services, in Section 3 of this report, demonstrates the potential of this database regarding the monitoring and evaluation of payment activities, financial probity, and performance monitoring. While service data, which provides individual level data on patients and providers, has great potential as a source of research data, its full research potential is only realised when it is combined with epidemiological data. Surveys provide information that complement and add value to service data, thus providing a rich source of data for the planning, management, and monitoring of oral health and oral health services.