Dr. Catherine Gallagher:

Much of what I would have said on this point has already been said. I work at the end of a system where children come under general anaesthesia to have extractions done. Currently, there are 350 children on our waiting list. We have diminished access to time in theatre to treat them. Overwhelmingly, they are from disadvantaged socioeconomic groups. It may be that their access to care is limited by their ability to receive care. They may have medical or behavioural conditions that limit their access to routine dentistry.

Overwhelmingly the patients who come to us for that kind of care, and I am talking about very small children needing multiple teeth taken out, are the children who are ahead of even the planned screening by the HSE's school dental service.