Less than half of children who qualify for screening and treatment under the State’s school dental programme are being seen on schedule.
The Irish Dental Association (IDA) has warned there are not enough dentists to ensure schoolchildren are screened when required, which has led to a severe decline in dental health in many cases.
IDA chief executive Fintan Hourihan said there are glaring flaws in the screening programme, which aims to offer children three appointments before the age of 12.
“Based on the Department of Education’s own statistics, we understand there are over 200,000 children at second, fourth, and sixth-class ages (to be screened). Last year, less than 100,000 were seen,” Mr Hourihan said.
“Within that 100,000, some of those were children in second level, so way less than 50% of those who should have been seen were seen.
The problem is there aren’t enough dentists to ensure that children are seen when they should be.
Speaking at the Oireachtas Health Committee, Dr Caroline Robins, a dentist who works with children, said a combination of factors has left some kids with severe dental issues.
She described, as a typical example, a ten-year-old boy who missed out on dental screening and then needed teeth extracted.
“Between the school system and covid, the boy was ten, and he had never been seen. He didn’t get his second class check-up,” she said.
“His molars are hyper-mineralised so they break down. He’s ten years old, he presents to me, and I am talking to the mother about having to extract this tooth.
I’m consoling a mother who feels like she let her child down. I’m consoling a child who is only ten and has to have extremely difficult, nasty treatment.
She said this is particularly an issue for parents who cannot afford private treatment.
In a bid to plug some of the gaps, the HSE is employing private dentists in Kerry to treat medical card patients.
But Mr Hourihan said “a gap” remains between the standard and timeliness of treatment for people with medical cards and those who can afford private care.
“It is astonishing to think that in 2023, an oral healthcare scheme that fails to offer the same standard of care to the most vulnerable and economically disadvantaged in our communities still exists,” he said.
The IDA estimates that 500 additional public service dentists are needed.
“Since June of 2017, there are 80,000 fewer patients being seen so it has reached a very low ebb… An entirely new scheme is what’s required.”
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