THE HSE is coming under increasing pressure to provide more dental care after it emerged 3,148 Clare children are waiting for a routine dental appointment, writes Dan Danaher.

Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne has claimed the HSE is failing Clare children under the Health Act by not providing them with their statutory entitlement of routine dental screening in primary schools.

The Sinn Féin Deputy urged the government to take urgent action against the “unacceptable” figures.

“The HSE is not providing adequate dental screening to primary school children and is failing children under the Health Act.

“In Clare, there are an estimated 3,148 children are waiting for a routine dental appointment.

“Failure to provide this important healthcare runs the risk of seriously harming children’s health. These figures are totally unacceptable and reveal a growing crisis in children’s dental care.”

Prior to Covid, reports from The Irish Dental Association (IDA) stated that an increasing number of children are only being offered examination and dental care for the first time at sixth class – instead of at first, second, fourth and sixth classes, the TD pointed out.

“This situation has been exacerbated by the impact of Covid. The system was already under huge pressure and this has only increased,” she said.

The Sinn Fein TD outlined the strong links between good oral health and good physical health, and said it is vital that the HSE develop a contingency plan so children can receive this vital service.

She said the Dental Treatment Services Scheme does not receive enough funding, which is leaving many people, especially in rural regions like Clare out to dry.

Her call coincided with confirmation the HSE Dental Service is finding it difficult to recruit dental surgeons, and this is also impacting on the level of service provision.

This is an issue, which is being experienced in both the public and private dentistry services.  However, the HSE is in the process of filling a long-term vacant dentistry post in Shannon Health Centre.

HSE Mid West Community Healthcare Dental Services provide school dental checks to Clare primary school children in Second and Sixth classes at school.

Children attend HSE dental clinics for the dental check and any necessary routine treatment to be completed.

As a direct result of Covid-19 restrictions and guidelines, HSE Mid West Community Healthcare Dental Services had no option but to defer routine screening for much of 2020 and early 2021.  During this time, HSE dental clinics were restricted to an emergency service only. 

In addition, a HSE spokesman outlined the ongoing need to adhere to public health guidance continues to have a direct impact on the capacity within clinics, and the scheduling of appointments.

Since the resumption of the school dental checks, the priority has been to offer appointments to children whose appointments were postponed as a result of the pandemic. 

The Principal Dental Surgeon has confirmed that children are being called to clinics in the order in which they were due to be called prior to Covid-19.

This means children are older when they are called for their school dental check-up. Screening of children who were in Second and Sixth classes in the 2019/20 academic year was completed in September 2021. 

Approximately 1,100 children from these classes in 2020/21 were called for screening between September and December 2021 and a further 2,170 children from this academic year will be called for screening over the coming months. 

All children from those classes whose parents have completed and returned a consent form have already been invited or will be invited for an appointment.

HSE Mid West Community Healthcare Dental Service will continue to work through the waiting list in this manner.

It should be noted that these numbers refer to the routine screening of target classes only and do not include children and adults with special medical and dental needs who are also called for regular dental check-ups.

Between September and December of 2021, a further 427 patients were seen for emergency appointments.

These appointments are given when a parent/guardian calls to report that their child is in pain, and usually take place on the day of this call.