Laois children waiting until fifth year for first dental examination
Laois TD Brian Stanley said children are being “failed” by the Government
Well over 6,000 children are waiting for their first dental examination with some even waiting until fifth year to be seen, a Laois TD has said.
Speaking in the Dáil this week about the urgent need to improve dental services in the county, Brian Stanley TD said that “the government is failing the children of Laois.”
“The three schemes - the dental treatment services scheme, the dental treatment benefit scheme and the school dental scheme are in chaos and are not functioning,” Deputy Stanley told the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin.
“The situation with the school dental scheme in County Laois, for example, is worse now than it was last year when I raised it with the Taoiseach. It is like the Dark Ages.
“Current figures from the HSE show that there are 6,618 children on the school dental scheme waiting list for a first examination. That is an increase of 175 since I raised the issue last year. Of that number, 818 are seven years overdue for an examination. Some are not getting their first examination until they are in fifth year in secondary school.”
The Laois TD urged that “huge harm” is being done for those on the waiting lists, with serious issues of tooth decay and other dental problems arising.
He noted that those 818 students overdue an examination should be seen in fourth class. However, these children have been marked for examination in sixth year by the HSE.
“A total of 1,504 children are six years overdue for examination and 1,520 are five years overdue. They are nearly adults before they are seen for their first examination, which should happen in fourth class,” Deputy Stanley said.
Deputy Stanley explained that the dental treatment services scheme is for medical card patients and that scheme has “collapsed in Laois.” Only one dentist on the Laois and Carlow border in Killeshin provides this service.
“Low and middle-income workers and their families are being failed. Despite paying thousands of euros in tax, PRSI and USC every year, they cannot even get an extraction or a filling. Those workers and their families deserve better,” he said.
The Independent TD also pointed out an individual case where a young boy with special needs was forced to wait six years in severe pain with periodontal disease, severe inflammation and bone loss and has just now got an appointment for a consultation.
He urged the Taoiseach to step up recruitment and the number of training places in dentistry.
Micheál Martin acknowledged the “significant difficulties and challenges” with the dental treatment medical scheme and dental healthcare more generally.
He noted that recruitment and establishing a comprehensive structure within the dental public health service has proven problematic for quite some time.
In terms of the specifics for Laois, the Taoiseach called on the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, to engage with Deputy Stanley.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme