More than 900 people throughout the west of Ireland are waiting more than two years for orthodontic services, according to figures released by the HSE.
The figures, which were released to Sinn Féin, following a parliamentary question by Waterford TD, David Cullinane, found that in the HSE Western Region of Galway, Mayo, and Roscommon, there are now 955 people waiting more than two years for orthodontic services, and 239 waiting more than four.
SF Galway East representative, Louis O’Hara said the situation is now at “crisis point” as increasing numbers of dentists have dropped out of the medical card scheme in recent years.
According to Mr O’Hara, c28 per cent of dentists in the county have left the medical card dental scheme in the last five years. Furthermore, spending on dental treatment in Galway has dropped from €3.29 million in 2017 to €2.15 million in 2020 - a decrease of 35 per cent.
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SF Galway East representative, Louis O’Hara.
The Irish Dental Association also highlighted its concerns recently to the Oireachtas Health Committee, stating that difficulty in accessing dental treatment contributes to poor oral health and greater healthcare costs.
“Dentists have expressed ethical as well as practical concerns about unilateral cuts to the dental scheme imposed during austerity,” said Mr O’Hara. “This devastated dentists’ ability to deliver quality care to medical card patients, with the burden of this disproportionately falling on lower income groups, especially those who rely on medical cards.”
He said this has created a situation where waiting lists are “spiralling out of control”. He said: “Care delayed is care denied and the crisis in health continues to get worse under this Government.”
