Mr. Fintan Hourihan:

A small group of dedicated dentists working in the HSE look after special care patients. Their problems are compounded. First, there are not enough of them. Second, they are competing and fighting for access to anaesthesia and operating theatres in hospitals. There are no clear pathways, but equally there are not enough sessions available to allow children be treated under general anaesthetic. Usually, special care patients will need treatment under general anaesthetic to a greater extent than other patients. One particular problem with special care patients is that the specialty of special care dentistry is not recognised by the Dental Council because it has not been signed off by the Minister for Health. Were that to happen, it would enable more specialists and consultants to be employed to lead, direct and manage service for special care patients, which we advocate for in the HSE. Many dentists who have ostensibly been employed or trained to treat children are often now being asked to see special care patients and vice versa. It is completely inappropriate. The most vulnerable are falling further behind, whether it be children, special care patients or adults of lesser means. That is where the State has a role to play. We keep making the point that dentistry is the one area where a visible difference can be seen in terms of what presents according to people's economic means. It is so important there is a State scheme to allow people access their dentist. In the public service, the people who suffer the most are children from poorer backgrounds, but also special care patients.