James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

At this stage, the waiting list for orthodontic treatment is simply out of control. Nationally, there are over 18,000 children on the waiting list, of which 7,500 have been waiting over two years. In the south east, 3,000 children are waiting for treatment with 1,500 waiting over two years and over 150 waiting over four years for orthodontic treatment. In my county of Wexford, 700 children are in need of orthodontic treatment. Over two thirds of these children have been waiting in excess of two years. My office is inundated with phone calls, texts, emails and people calling to the office. Parents are dismayed by these waiting lists.

Waiting has an impact on mental health. Unfortunately, we live in a society where perfection is increasingly becoming an issue. Having to wait longer during their teenage years is having an impact on the mental health of children who desperately need orthodontic treatment.

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