Children Face Lengthy Wait For Orthodontic Treatment In Ireland
Children in Ireland are facing a lengthy wait for orthodontic treatment, according to The Orthodontic Society of Ireland.
In some parts of Ireland, children are facing a wait of up to four years and experts are worried that parents will resort to ‘quick-fixes’ to help their children. Orthodontists said that clinics at home and abroad are offering speedy treatments, which act as a stop-gap, rather than a solution. In the North East of the country there are almost 4,000 children waiting for orthodontic treatment and orthodontists are worried that the situation is getting worse, with more and more children requiring treatment.
Dr Katherine Condren, president of the The Orthodontic Society of Ireland, said that children who require urgent treatment are prioritised but others have to wait a long time for treatment.
Catherine Kearney’s 12 year old daughter is one of many children who have been told that they will have to wait for treatment. Catherine was advised to return to her orthodontist when she was 17 years old and reassured that she would definitely be able to have braces then. Mrs Kearney said that she was left facing the dilemma of whether to pay for private treatment for her daughter, which would cost in excess of 4000 Euros. In the end, she decided to pay for private treatment and said that she was “delighted” that she took the decision to get treatment for her daughter.
According to the society, there is a shortage of orthodontists in Ireland and waiting lists are growing in line with the increasing demand for treatment.
Dr Condren said that orthodontists are worried that patients are being lured in by the offer of cheaper, less intensive treatments, which work very quickly and promise amazing results in less than half the time it usually takes to straighten the teeth and urged patients to be very cautious, especially when looking into having treatment abroad.
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