The HSE’s dental service for children has “collapsed”, a dentist has said.

In theory, a child is supposed to receive three free dental check ups when they are in primary school. 

However, some children do not even get one free check up and Keith Redmond said in “practical terms” the system has been stretched to breaking point. 

“Unfortunately, the HSE dental service for children with regards to checkups and things like that on a regular basis has collapsed,” he told Lunchtime Live. 

“There’s a pretence made that it’s still going but it’s gone - parents cannot avail of it.” 

A dentist at work, September 2017. Picture by: Alamy.com

Dr Redmond said the idea of a child getting only three checkups in their childhood is “literally laughable” and dentists from abroad are shocked to hear there is so little provision. 

“The service was introduced in the 60s and 70s and the idea was back then was that three checkups in a childhood was a good thing - but it has never moved on,” he said. 

“Now, it’s even worse because the number of dentists in the HSE has fallen by about 40%, they can’t recruit them, so as a result, if you don’t have the dentists, you don’t have the checkups.” 

'Where have they gone?'

One mother with first-hand experience of the dental crisis is Sarah, who has struggled to get her children the HSE dental appointments they are entitled to. 

“I have four children and only one of them has ever received an HSE dental visit,” she said. 

“That was now when he was in second class and he is now in second year. 

“I bring the four kids to the dentist - my own dentist - at €50 a child, per checkup, every six months. 

“But I just thought that the HSE provided dental checks for kids in second, fourth and sixth class but it seems now the checks in second and fourth are gone and they’re only being checked in sixth class.”

Sarah has been told her local dentists are struggling with a backlog but she feels parents are owed a better explanation. 

“Where have they gone? Where has the money gone that must have been put aside for it and why are children only getting a dental check in sixth class?” she said. 

“If you can’t afford to bring your children to the dentist a lot can happen until they’re 12.”

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Main image: A child at the dentist.