Dentists and HSE fight tooth and nail

The HSE and Health Minister Leo Varadkar have hit back at the assertion by the Irish Dental Association (IDA) that about 10,000 children a year receive general anaesthetic for dental extractions, saying the figure was closer to 3,600.

However, the dentists’ body yesterday stood by its figure which it said was based on HSE statistics given to them “on a confidential basis” which prevented it from disclosing their source.

“We can’t name sources for fear it would lead to a witch hunt against that person,” said a spokesman for the association.