• Huges Numbers of Patients Denied Access to essential Dental Care while Illegal Dentistry Flourishes
• Hospital surgery waiting lists exceed 13,000 while 4,342 children and special care patients wait for procedures under general anaesthetic.
• A further 9,354 people on acute hospital lists for Oral Surgery and Maxillo-Facial Surgery.
• IDA launches major new position paper to act as roadmap for meeting WHO goals and deal with crisis in access to dental care in Ireland.
• President of the Irish Dental Association, Eamon Croke says: “Smile agus Sláinte has admirable aspirations, but it was developed in the absence of representative consultation with stakeholders, especially the dental healthcare professionals who deliver primary oral healthcare in Ireland.”

The Irish Dental Association says five years on since the launch of the Government’s ‘Smile agus Sláinte’ oral health policy public and public dental services remain is a state of decay.

The association is marking World Oral Health Day with the launch of its own major new position paper.

 It provides a roadmap for meeting the goals of the WHO global oral health strategy and identifies essential building blocks to deal with the crisis in access to dental care in Ireland. The paper also highlights the need for urgent legislation to prevent illegal dental practice.

‘Smile agus Sláinte’ which was launched in 2019 promised to facilitate better oral healthcare for everyone and support the provision of all levels of care by appropriate healthcare professionals in the most suitable settings. It also promised to support patient choice and access to care and to introduce legislation to protect patients from illegal dentistry and unsafe care.

However, five years on and the number of people awaiting public dental surgery is over 13-thousand including 4,342 children and special care patients. A significant backlog also remains in the school screening programme where fewer than half of children due to receive an appointment have been seen. Many who should have been seen by a public dentist in second class are only receiving their first appointment when they are in their fourth year of secondary school.

Meanwhile, those with medical cards are finding it increasingly difficult to access care as the number of dentists offering the scheme decreases. Dentists say the current scheme is outdated and unfit for purpose and allows for restrictions to be placed by the state on treatment provided to patients. While the majority of dentists are in favour of a state-funded scheme to assist lower income groups, it is imperative that those patients be afforded equal levels of care.

The Irish Dental Association has today launched its own position paper, “Towards Sustainable Oral Healthcare Services”, which aims to provide a framework for the development of sustainable oral healthcare services.

President of the Irish Dental Association, Dr Eamon Croke says “Smile agus Sláinte was launched with no meaningful consultation with the dental profession.

“Smile agus Sláinte has admirable aspirations, but it was developed in the absence of representative consultation with stakeholders, especially the dental healthcare professionals who deliver primary oral healthcare in Ireland.  The measure of success for any policy, and indeed the WHO global oral health strategy, will be the extent to which we move away from disease management to active healthcare which prioritises prevention and reduces non-communicable diseases.

“Despite numerous requests, Department of Health officials have yet to explain to stakeholders, including dental healthcare professionals, how its vision may be enacted. It suffers from many issues including the absence of constructive road maps, financial responsibility and assurance.

“At present, primary, secondary, and tertiary oral healthcare is being provided in spite of, rather than because of, active State investment and support. Our aim is to work cooperatively and in a coordinated manner with stakeholders to develop a sustainable oral healthcare system for the people of Ireland.

“Dentists stand ready to engage the government and Department of Health to reform our legislation, our public schemes and to improve oral healthcare services in Ireland".