10,000 children wait for specialist dental treatment

MORE than 10,000 children were awaiting public orthodontic treatment last year, despite the appointment of 13 additional specialist orthodontists in 2005, new figures disclosed yesterday to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children show.

In 2005 there were 9,631 children awaiting treatment but by the end of September last year the figure had increased to 10,025, according to figures compiled by the Health Service Executive (HSE).

The committee also heard that new guidelines drawn up by the HSE’s orthodontic review group to be introduced in the summer would see the number of children qualifying for treatment increase by 7%.