Children waiting up to seven years for orthodontic treatment in South-East

HSE’s acting head of service for primary care in the region, Paul Goff said: 'It should be noted that there are currently staffing deficiencies across orthodontic clinics throughout the South-East region.' File picture

Children in the South-East region are waiting up to seven years for orthodontic treatment because of staffing difficulties in the service.

A regional oral health group has been established in the south east to review the provision of orthodontist services in the area.

Services in South Tipperary, Waterford, Kilkenny and Wexford are currently operating “to the best of its ability within the constraints of the very limited staffing levels currently available,” according to the HSE’s acting head of service for primary care in the region, Paul Goff.

He made the comment in response to a parliamentary question put down by South Tipperary Fine Gael TD, Michael Murphy.

“The longest wait time for orthodontic treatment based on current resources is up to 82 months," the HSE response said. 

It showed that 24 children have been waiting longer than six years for treatment in the region.

One mother, who does not want to be named, received a letter from the HSE’s orthodontic department in Waterford in November, advising her that her 10-year-old son has been placed on the waiting list for orthodontic treatment. 

The letter advised: “I estimate it will be in the region of 72+ months before treatment can start."

The woman told the Irish Examiner that her 13-year-old twin daughters were both placed on the waiting list in July 2023 and she received a letter last month advising that “regrettably it is likely to be four years further wait” until they are seen. Both girls are in category 5, the most severe case on the index for orthodontic treatment.

The letter added: “We are currently calling patients who were placed on the treatment waiting list in 2019.” 

Our long wait times are a reflection of our low staffing levels, we have a single consultant and very few specialist orthodontists across the South-East region.

Both letters have been seen by the Irish Examiner.

In the parliamentary question reply to Mr Murphy, Paul Goff said: “It should be noted that there are currently staffing deficiencies across orthodontic clinics throughout the South-East region. 

"The service continues to manage these pressures, where possible, through cross-cover arrangements, with remaining staff supporting areas where vacancies or deficits arise.” 

For example, a dental nurse travels from Waterford to Clonmel when no nurse is available in Clonmel, while a consultant orthodontist and dental nurse based in Waterford travel to Clonmel two to three days per month for assessments.

Deputy Michael Murphy said the figures have shocked him, adding: “This has not been sudden. It has been drifting for years.” 

He said delays in orthodontic treatment not alone impacts a child’s teeth but also their self-confidence.

Analysis carried out by the Irish Dental Association (IDA) last year found that orthodontic waiting lists for children can reach six years.

IDA chief executive Fintan Hourihan said: “There needs to be more resources put into waiting list initiatives to engage private specialists because the number of public-only specialists in the public service in orthodontics is completely insufficient. 

"We can only appeal to the minister and to the HSE to recognise the severity of the problem and to intervene and make funding available because more of the same is not going to make any difference.

"This is the obvious consequence of decades of neglect of the public dental service by successive administrations.”