Over 2,500 children waiting for dental surgery in Ireland
More than 2,500 children are waiting for dental surgery in Ireland.
Figures suggest that there are currently 2,950 children waiting to have oral surgery and there are fears that numbers will increase in the months ahead.
Dentists are worried about the impact of the pandemic. Lockdowns and restrictions have created significant backlogs, but there are also concerns about the prevalence of dental diseases. Studies suggest that restrictions affected eating habits and sales of unhealthy foods rose during the lockdown. Many children consumed more sugar and snacked more frequently while families were spending more time at home.
Dr Anne O’Neill, HSE public dentist, said that lockdowns were very challenging for families and dentists. Restrictions have “compounded” issues with dental services for schoolchildren and some dentists have switched to private dentistry, which has made it even more difficult to clear backlogs.
A lack of dentists working for the HSE means that children are not receiving the care they should be. Children in the first and second class should be screened and offered treatment, but this is not happening due to a shortage of dental professionals. The system was already “under-resourced,” according to Dr O’Neill and it is now even more stretched.
The number of children on the waiting list for hospital treatment has risen from 1,500 in 2020 to almost 3,000 in 2022.
Dr O’Neill has called for policy changes, which would enable dentists to prioritise children with additional needs and complex cases.
She believes the current system should be preserved but stressed that it needs to be adequately funded. Allowing private dentists to take on some contracts would ease pressure on existing HSE services and reduce waiting times for children. The current system, she said, was “not broken, just under-resourced.”
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