A WEST Cork Councillor who raised the issue of school dentists’ recruitment in the area and the general service on offer has said he felt the response from the HSE was ‘quite generic.’
Cllr Finbarr Harrington (Ind) raised the motion at a recent meeting of the Regional Health Forum South held in County Hall.
Cllr Harrington had raised the matter last month too, at a full Council meeting, when he highlighted the case of a 19-year-old West Cork student who needed braces while in second class, but is still waiting for them 11 years later.
A HSE spokesperson said in a reply to his motion that there are currently two school dental surgeons based in West Cork, one at the Clonakilty Primary Care Centre and the other is located at the Bantry Primary Care Centre.
‘School dental screening is on target in West Cork, currently completing sixth class and should begin second classes in mid to late summer.’
The spokesperson added that a recruitment process for filling vacant dental surgeon posts in West Cork is ‘currently underway.’
Speaking to The Southern Star after the meeting, Cllr Harrington said he raised the motion as a matter of urgency and that it should be made a priority.
‘The HSE reply was quite generic in that they said they are happy that they are meeting their targets. I don’t know what targets they are setting but they must be very low because they are not visiting the schools. The children aren’t seeing the dentists,’ he said.
He pointed out that nationally they are down 70 to 80 school dentists since about 2006.
‘What’s really disappointing about all this is that we have these fabulous medical centres in both Schull and Castletownbere kitted out and all we need is a dentist to come there as required.’
