Nearly 200 children facing dental care delays in north Tipperary
The HSE is struggling to fill a vacancy for a Senior Dental Surgeon (Special Needs) in the area
Almost 200 children in North Tipperary are waiting for dental treatment under general anaesthetic, with children who have additional needs waiting an average of 18 months as a key specialist post remains vacant.
Figures from HSE Mid West that have been shared with the Tipperary Star show 184 children are currently on the waiting list for extractions under general anaesthetic in North Tipperary. Around 30 of those children have additional needs.
The HSE said children with additional needs are waiting an average of one and a half years for treatment, while the longest waiting case dates back to January 2025.
The delays come after the Senior Dental Surgeon (Special Needs) position in North Tipperary became vacant in February 2024. According to the HSE, three separate recruitment campaigns have failed to fill the role.
The vacancy means restorative dental treatment under general anaesthetic is now "very limited" in North Tipperary, with services largely restricted to tooth extractions.
The HSE also confirmed there are 43 adults aged between 17 and 22 waiting for restorative dental treatment or extractions, with some patients remaining on the list since February 2021. Seven of those patients joined the waiting list while they were still under 16.
The HSE said support has been provided by a Senior Dental Surgeon from the Limerick catchment area to prioritise emergency cases from North Tipperary, particularly younger patients.
Despite the pressures on specialist services, the HSE said routine school dental programmes continue to operate successfully. The Nenagh Dental Clinic has examined all first-class pupils from the 2023/24 school year and almost all sixth-class pupils as part of the national school dental programme.
In a statement, HSE Mid West acknowledged concerns about waiting times for children with additional needs, saying dental services nationally continue to face recruitment and capacity challenges.
"Mid-West Dental Management continues to explore every available option, including recruitment campaigns, and utilising opportunities for private outsourcing and public sector solutions when available," the statement said.