Dental Union Hits Out Against Delays
The Irish Dental Union has slammed delays in child and adult oral healthcare.
The IDU criticised waiting lists, as research showed that some children in Dublin are waiting up to five years for orthodontic treatment and adults with special needs in Cork are facing a three year wait for certain treatments.
Dentists in Ireland have been campaigning against cuts made by the Health Service Executive since they were announced almost two years ago. The latest figures show that the cuts are impacting on peoples’ oral health, with long waiting lists meaning necessary treatments being missed. The IDU also claimed that children in some areas of the country are missing out on valuable dental services because they have been suspended as a result of the cuts.
The union said that children in parts of Dublin are waiting up to five years for orthodontic treatment, which goes against the advice of orthodontists, as early treatment is preferable. Children in Cavan were also missing out on early dental checks, with the first check postponed until sixth class. Dentists are eager for parents to bring their children for check-ups as early as possible to prevent oral health problems and enable children to get used to the sights and sounds of the dental surgery.
The union has also highlighted problems with access to dental care for adults with special needs in Cork, as some adults are waiting three years for treatments that require general anaesthesia.
Chief executive of the IDU, Fintan Hourihan, said that these examples were a clear demonstration of adults and children missing out on essential dental services. Mr Hourihan said that the HSE cuts were to blame for the lack of services and called for the HSE to carry out an urgent audit of the dental services available to children and adults with special needs and to subsequently address the shortage.
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