Dental waiting lists have led some children with complex needs to self-harm because of the pain

Data from the dental association shows of the 979 children waiting in HSE South West, 438 have been on the list over a year. File picture

Children with complex needs are self-harming because their teeth are causing so much pain as they face long waits for treatment, the president of the Irish Dental Association has warned. 

Bridget Harrington Barry said more than 900 children with special needs are waiting for dental treatment under general anaesthetic in the Cork and Kerry HSE region alone — the highest figure in the country — as pressure mounts on the service affecting 1,801 vulnerable patients nationwide.