Urgent: Nearly 10,000 Children Await Dental Screening in Limerick

UPDATE: Nearly 10,000 children in the Mid West region, including Limerick, are currently on a waiting list for essential dental screenings, raising alarms among local officials and parents. Labour Party TD Conor Sheehan revealed this shocking figure following a recent parliamentary inquiry, indicating that 9,992 school children are in desperate need of routine dental check-ups.

The HSE has acknowledged that its school dental screening program is lagging behind by a staggering 18 months, with many children not receiving necessary care until they transition to secondary school. “This is not just a statistic — this is 9,992 children potentially facing avoidable pain and long-term dental problems because the State isn’t doing its job,” Sheehan stated, emphasizing the urgent need for reform.

Sheehan criticized the government’s handling of dental care, calling the situation “absolutely disgraceful” and stating, “We are becoming a country of waiting lists.” He noted that tooth decay is one of the leading causes of childhood hospitalizations, underscoring the importance of early dental screenings in preventing serious health issues.

The Limerick TD further pointed out that the public dental system is “beyond breaking point,” claiming that at least 75 more dentists are needed to restore the school dental screening scheme to its proper function. “Successive governments have underfunded and understaffed the service for years,” he lamented.

Sheehan urged immediate government action, calling on officials to treat this situation as the emergency it is. “Where is the urgency?” he demanded, referring to the government’s commitment in the Programme for Government to implement the national oral health policy and recruit more public dentists.

In a statement to the Limerick Post, an HSE spokesperson expressed regret over the delays in providing routine dental screenings for children up to the age of 16 years. They confirmed that the screening service for first, second, and sixth classes in primary schools is running approximately 18 months behind schedule. Currently, 90 percent of children in these classes from the 2022/23 academic year have been called for screening, while 60 percent of the 4,492 children in the 2023/24 academic year have also been notified.

The HSE estimates that around 5,500 pupils in the 2024/25 sixth class cohort may still be waiting for their screenings while they are already in secondary school. The spokesperson acknowledged challenges in recruiting and retaining dental surgeons within HSE public dental services, noting that a senior dental post has been advertised multiple times without success.

As the situation unfolds, the pressure mounts on government officials to address this growing crisis in children’s dental care. With nearly 10,000 children waiting, parents and advocates are calling for immediate action to ensure that essential dental services are accessible to all.

Stay tuned for more updates as this developing story continues to impact the community and the health of children across Limerick and the Mid West region.