Sir, – For years we have had to cope with diminishing support for patients in relation to their dental health.
Dental health affects patients in many ways. The link between gum disease and heart problems and diabetes are just two of the most serious.
I frequently encounter amazement when patients turn up requiring a dental certificate of fitness for medical operations and who look at me perplexed when I have to explain to them that their operation may have to be postponed until they are dentally fit. This, of course, is invariably for patients who have already had to wait ages for the appointments.
With the abolition of the PRSI scheme in dentistry and the virtual annihilation of the dental medical card scheme, the situation for patients is becoming dangerous.
I would urge everyone to think about dental health and dental health finance as a public good and persuade politicians to grasp the concept of dental health being part of overall wellbeing and to put structures and finance in place to save our children’s dental health. – Yours, etc,
GERRY KAAR, BDS
Clonmel,
Co Tipperary.