Orthodontist supports colleague over fallout from suspension

A CORK orthodontist has taken up the cause of a Limerick colleague over the fallout from her suspension from duty in 1999.

Dr Triona McNamara was at the time working for the Southwestern area health board in Dublin.

As a result of her absence from duty, she claims children patients of her’s have been damaged.

She took a judicial review challenging her suspension and was reinstated.

Dr McNamara was out of work for a total of five months as a result of the action of the then health board.

A Cork orthodontist, Dr Ian Dowling, has now backed demands by Dr McNamara for an investigation into child patients she claims were left with damaged teeth.

Dr Dowling who was appointed to the Health Service Executive (HSE) review of orthodontic services has now dissociated himself from the review as it has failed to take on board the case of Dr McNamara. He said he intends to issue his own minority report.

Dr Dowling, a consultant orthodontist based in Cork, said: “This allegation that children were damaged has been out there for a number of years now and I believe it should have been investigated but it will not be examined in the report.”

In a report in 2005 the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children questioned why children needing orthodontic care and who were classified as category C, which can be very disfiguring, were being told they were not eligible for free treatment.

The Oireachtas asked that category C children be reinstated in waiting lists.