Thousands of Irish Children on Waiting Lists for Orthodontic Treatment

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Up to 20,000 children are waiting for orthodontic treatment in Ireland, it has been revealed.

According to the head of the Irish Dental Association, some children are waiting for five years for treatment, while children living in some counties are not receiving the dental care they are entitled to. Children in Kerry, Laois and Cork are not getting the treatment and services they should be, according to Dr Andrew Bolas.

Dr Bolas said that the system of free dental screening for children under the age of 16 was in grave danger because of a severe shortage of staff, which has resulted from 28 dentists and 9 dental nurses retiring without being replaced.

Dr Bolas said that hundreds of children are missing out on free dental screening, which should be available to all children under the age of 16, with many not attending their first appointment until they reach the sixth class.

Speaking at the Irish Dental Association’s Annual Dental Conference, Dr Bolas said that it was completely unacceptable that children are not receiving the level of care that they are entitled to. He also criticised the public health system for letting children who have orthodontic problems down, slamming the waiting lists and accusing the government of “betraying” children.

Dr Bolas said that the government had adopted an “inconsistent” approach to young peoples’ care and he added that he is worried that thousands of the children waiting for orthodontic treatment will not be entitled to state-funded care.

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