Urgent action called for as people wait in 'agony' for dental care
Deputy Cullinane said Government failure has left 8,000 people waiting over a year in agony for dental and orthodontic care.
Government failure has left 8,000 people waiting over a year in agony for dental and orthodontic care.
That's according to Sinn Féin TD for Waterford, Deputy David Cullinane, who is his party's spokesperson on Health.
He has called for the Minister for Health to take urgent and strategic action to reduce waiting times for dental and orthodontic care.
He was speaking after a session of the Oireachtas Health Committee on dental services with the Irish Dental Association, HSE, and Department of Health.
At the committee session Deputy Cullinane raised the fact that waiting lists for orthodontic care for people in urgent need and with severe conditions (Grade 4 and 5) - which stands at over 11,000 - included 8,000 waiting over 12 months.
He said that public services are held back by an under-supply of qualified orthodontists, dentists, dental nurses, and support staff, and that access is delayed because of this.
“Dental and orthodontic waiting lists are far too long," he said.
"It is shameful that 11,000 people are waiting in agony for orthodontic treatment for the most severe conditions," he added.
He also pointed out that 70 per cent of those people, amounting to 8,000, were waiting longer than a year.
“Orthodontic waiting lists are worst in the south east, south, and north-east, where 80 per cent of patients are waiting longer than a year for care," said Deputy Cullinane.
“Ireland needs a new, ambitious strategic plan for dentistry and orthodontics," he said.
“That must include workforce planning and a significant increase in the number of dentists and orthodontists we are training and recruiting into the public system," he added.
He said his party had proposed a substantial increase of 35 per cent in the number of dentists in training to achieve this.
“We have also proposed a substantial increase in public dentistry provision, starting with screening in schools and dental care for children, as well as directly employed dentists to provide dental care for public patients," said Deputy Cullinane.
"We have not seen the level of ambition that is needed from Government, and this is exacerbating severe waits for dental and orthodontic care," he added.
