Children in Ireland are increasingly having adult teeth extracted instead of receiving routine dental treatments due to a shortage of anesthetic services, according to a dentist’s warning.
While the system theoretically provides all children with three free dental check-ups during their primary school years, many do not receive this care. Dr. Gillian Smith from the Fitzwilliam Clinic in Bray emphasized that “thousands” of children are waiting for treatment. She stated that the current state of dental care for both children and adults requiring special dentistry is like “firefighting,” a process that is “heartbreaking” for professionals in the field.
“We have so much innovation in preventative oral healthcare,” Dr. Smith explained, “but we can’t even consider it because we are stuck dealing with urgent cases, where children and adults suffer for months, or even years, in pain.”
Dr. Smith highlighted the systemic issues plaguing the service, specifically pointing to a lack of anesthetic services for children in Dublin, Kildare, and Wicklow. “Currently, there is no general anesthetic service for children in these areas,” she stated. “We’re talking about thousands of children who are being left without proper care.”
At present, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has a contract with Clane Hospital in Kildare, but it is limited to extractions only. This means that children who need treatment for cavities in their adult teeth, which should last a lifetime, are forced to have them extracted if they go through the public service. The only option for treatment in this case is to go to Clane Hospital for the extraction.
The HSE recommends regular dental check-ups for children, starting when their milk teeth first appear around the age of six months, but the current lack of available services leaves many children without the dental care they need.
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