Renewed hospital contract could see dental waiting times decline in South-East region

Orthodontics is a specific branch of dentistry, and it is not clear whether tooth extraction linked to decay — as was Tiernan Power-Murphy’s situation — will be included. Picture: Dan Linehan

The HSE is renewing a lapsed dental contract with a private hospital in the South-East in the wake of public outrage over a 10-year treatment delay for an autistic boy in Waterford.

Tiernan Power-Murphy’s father shared the family's frustrations in the Irish Examiner last week. The boy has since been offered an appointment for teeth extractions under general anaesthetic in Cork University Dental Hospital.