Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South West Seán Crowe has said that it is appalling that 963 children are waiting for braces and other orthodontic treatment in the CHO7 area for over a year and that more than half of them are classified as Category 5, the highest degree of need.

Teachta Crowe said:

“Successive governments have allowed the public dental care sector collapse, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without access to a dentist. Latest figures show that almost a thousand children are waiting for braces and other orthodontic treatment in the CHO7 area and that more than half of them are classified as Grade 5, the highest degree of need.

“Almost 300 children have been waiting longer than two years while being classed as Category 5 cases, in the most serious need of treatment.

“It is an appalling indictment of how poorly ordinary workers and families are treated for oral health under Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil that children are left for waiting for years just to get braces.

“Sinn Féin favours greater investment in public dental teams, including dentists, hygienists, nurses, and technicians, to deliver care to public patients. These teams would bolster public dental services and get the school dental screening programme back on track.

“We cannot leave children waiting years for basic dental services. It isn’t fair and it isn’t right. As a country, we can and should do so much better.”