Mother of Four Highlights Delays As Thousands Of Local Children Not Offered Dental Screenings

Thursday, 10 October 2024 14:22

By Martin Osborne

Sarah Byrne, who has four sons aged between 4 and 15 years old, says her eldest son was in second year before he was seen for his sixth class appointment.

A group representing dentists says children are missing out on important check-ups due to a lack of dentists in the public system.

The Irish Dental Association is calling for 120 additional public dentists to be recruited by the HSE.

Primary school children are supposed to be offered appointments in second, fourth and sixth class, however, 100 thousand children weren't offered appointments last year.

Public dental services across CHO7, which includes Kildare/West Wicklow, Dublin West, Dublin South City, and Dublin South West, currently employ 30 dentists across all grades.

Additionally, the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS), which allows private dentists to provide services for medical cardholders on behalf of the HSE, reports 36 private dentists operating under contract in the Kildare/West Wicklow area (LHO6).

The number of students seen under the school dental screening program in Kildare/West Wicklow has fluctuated significantly over the last five years:

    2019: 11,343 students
    2020: 3,757 students
    2021: 3,275 students
    2022: 4,437 students
    2023: 5,543 students

Sarah Byrne, who has four sons aged between 4 and 15 years old, says her eldest son was in second year before he was seen for his sixth class appointment.

Students are meant to be screened in second, fourth and sixth class to see how their teeth are growing.