FERMANAGH has been described as a “dental desert’” in Stormont, with calls for urgent action to address the growing crisis.
With many residents struggling to find affordable and nearby dental services, and very few NHS dentists in the county, local MLA Deborah Erskine brought attention to the growing crisis in the Assembly.
Highlighting the urgent need for solutions to ensure that everyone has access to essential oral health care, Ms Erskine said the situation was continuing to get worse.
“I support the important motion and want to give a voice in the Chamber, yet again, to the growing frustration and anxiety that is felt by many of my constituents in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, and by people across Northern Ireland, who face increasingly severe difficulties in accessing basic dental care,” she said.
“The previous time that I spoke in the Chamber on this issue, I described my area as a ‘dental desert’. It is not getting any better.
“I provided options and pleaded with the Minister to act. Unfortunately, in response, I got rhetoric about how my party voted for the Budget. Let us hope that the Minister will come with a different attitude today.”
Ms Erskine, pictured left, stated that the problem is not new, but it is worsening at an alarming rate.
“Constituents tell me that they can no longer find an NHS dentist and that the switch to private dentistry models is creating health inequalities in each town and village across Northern Ireland,” she added.
“We are not talking about just routine check-ups; we are talking about serious dental pain being left untreated, infections going unmanaged and families having to travel extraordinary distances for care that they used to receive in their own communities. That is not acceptable in a modern healthcare system.”
Worrying statistics were shared showing that the Fermanagh and Omagh council area had the lowest adult registration rate at 49%, which is 17 points below the Northern Ireland average.
“I also highlight the role of early and preventative care. Oral health is not separate from general health. Poor dental hygiene is linked to heart disease, diabetes and poor outcomes in pregnancy.”
Ms Erskine stated that a new comprehensive oral health strategy is long overdue and that a strategy must address workforce planning, training, retention and support for dentists working in under served areas.
“People in my constituency deserve to know that, when their child has a toothache, they can get an appointment. When an older person needs a filling or a denture repaired, they should not be left waiting for weeks or having to travel for hours,” she added.
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