Commenting on today’s media reports on lengthy orthodontic waiting lists, Fintan Hourihan, CEO of the Irish Dental Association says:

“It is totally unacceptable that at the end of 2014 there were over 17,600 children waiting to have orthodontic treatment and that over two and a half thousand of these had been waiting for over three years. These figures are just one manifestation of the shortcomings in our dental health system due to  staff shortages caused by the HSE recruitment embargo and cuts in state funding.”

“In addition to the delays highlighted in the Minister’s response to Deputy Kelleher, we have huge delays for children requiring treatment under general anaesthesia across the country as well as huge cuts in general dental treatment and screening of children and special care patients plus ongoing annual cuts of €100m in state funding of dental care for medical card patients and those paying PRSI. In spite of promises made prior to the last election this Government has done nothing to date to address these issues beyond making more promises.”

ENDS