Parents fear for children’s dental health

SOUTHSIDE
parents have expressed concern about cutbacks to dental care that will mean
some school children will no longer receive annual check ups.

The
HSE has sent letters to parents in Lucan and Clondalkin stating that children
in certain years in primary and secondary schools will no longer receive a
check up every year.

However,
the HSE has stated it will still provide free dental care to schoolchildren who
require emergency treatment.

Sinn
Fein activist Eoin O’Broin has been contacted by several parents of children in
the area who were angered by the cuts.

He
said letters sent by the HSE to parents stated that due to staff shortages
services were restricted to children in second, fourth and sixth class.

He
claimed the letter added that in some clinics only pupils in second and sixth
class would be treated.

Mark
Maloney, from Grange View in Clondalkin, has two sons, Daniel (10) and Craig
(13), who are attending school in the area. Daniel is in fourth class at St
Ronan’s National School in Deansrath and Craig is currently in second year at
Deansrath Community College.

Mr
Maloney said he was informed recently by the local dental clinic near the
schools that neither of his sons would be receiving any dental check ups this
year due to cutbacks.

“I
was told that because of cutbacks Daniel would not be seen until he went into
sixth class,

? Mr Maloney said.

“And they told me Craig wouldn’t be seen in
second year at all. In fact, he wouldn’t be seen again until he went into fifth
year.

“If
the kids’ dental problems go unchecked now they will fester and they will
suffer for the rest of their lives. It is going to cost the State more money in
the long run. They are only pushing problems down the line.

?

In
addition, Mr Maloney said the letter he received from the HSE also stated that
children in the area who were on a waiting list for treatment were unlikely to
be treated by a dentist in the near future.

“They
are putting people on a waiting list where there is a 90 per cent chance or
maybe more that they won’t be seen,

? he added.

Mr
Ã? Broin told Southside People he believed the cutbacks could potentially harm
children.

“Failing
to adequately treat children’s dental health in their early years will
inevitably lead to an increase in dental problems in later years costing both
the individual and the health system significantly more,

? he said.

A
spokeswoman for the HSE said their Dublin West Dental Services was managing
within existing resources and in the context of the public sector moratorium.

“The dental service is
currently treating second, fourth and sixth classes in addition to providing
dental services for adults and infants with special needs,

? she said.

“All
emergency cases are treated.

?