Thousands of Children Waiting for Dental Treatment in Ireland
It has been revealed that more than 13,000 children are waiting for dental treatment in Ireland.
According to new figures over 13,000 children are waiting for orthodontic treatment and a further 7,000 for assessment to see if they are suitable candidates for orthodontic treatment.
The new figures represent a 20 percent increase in the number of children waiting for treatment since 2008. Some children have been waiting for over 4 years to get the treatment they need.
Under Health Service Executive guidelines only children with severe orthodontic problems are entitled to free orthodontic treatment.
In HSE South nearly 3,500 children who have been diagnosed with severe orthodontic problems have been waiting on treatment for over 3 years, having already waited an average of 12 months for assessment. In Dublin North East, more than 3,000 children were waiting for treatment at the end of 2011.
A spokeswoman for the HSE said that an independent review of the current system would be taking place this year with the aim of looking at a number of “service provision models”.
The information obtained from the review will then be used to make improvements and identify changes that will make the system more efficient and effective.
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