Children inside Ayrshire who need tooth extractions wait an average of 20 weeks to undergo surgery.
Figures released following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by Labor revealed that children in the county are waiting up to 15 weeks longer than before the pandemic.
NHS Ayrshire and Arran it said that, along with the increase in demand, “the complexity of cases has increased” resulting in longer treatment procedures.
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However, the health board added that it was still “trying to provide the best possible care”.
The picture in Ayrshire is broadly representative of that across the country, although not all health boards provided comparable data.
Of those that did, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Dumfries and Galloway have also experienced waiting times, more than doubling since 2019-20 to more than 40 weeks on average.
Only NHS Grampian and NHS Orkney have seen waiting times reduced over the same period.
The waiting time for adults needing a tooth extracted in Ayrshire fell from 22 weeks in 2019-2020 to an average of 15 weeks last year.
South of Scotland MSP Colin Smith said: “Rotten teeth can cause excruciating pain, but these figures show that some children in our region are being forced to wait months before getting the surgery they need.
“These statistics are completely shocking, but unfortunately, no one will be surprised that once again, people are forced to suffer while waiting for teeth to be extracted.
“Paining every time you eat a meal or try to talk is agony for a few days, let alone months or years, but this is the reality for many.
“I am furious that the Scottish Government has repeatedly failed to wake up to the growing dental crisis.
“The double whammy of Brexit, which has meant that almost no EU dentists come to the UK anymore, and more importantly, the failure of the Scottish Government to properly fund dentists means that practices across the country have cut services NHS for adults, forcing people to go private. . When people need specialist dental care, they have to wait longer and longer.
“The Scottish Government and the previous UK Government were warned time and time again that this would happen, but they completely ignored those warnings.”
Craig McArthur, East Ayrshire The Health and Social Care director said: “Since 2019, there has been an increased demand for pediatric dental referrals from General Dental Practitioners (GDPs) as they work through the continued increase in referrals which has resulted in a significant backlog.
“Patients are clinically assessed to ensure optimal care and prioritization based on clinical need. The Public Dental Service (PDS) has established a clear screening process where clinicians assess the suitability of each patient who is suitable for general anaesthesia.
“Where possible, alternative treatments are offered to ensure we provide less invasive options and help keep children’s teeth. Referrals that do not meet PDS clinical criteria are carefully re-routed back to GDP for further clinical management.
“This approach ensures that we continue to meet the needs of patients while continuing to deliver effective care across the system.
“In addition, the complexity of cases has increased, which requires additional time and attention to patients during the treatment process. With an increasing number of complex cases and a focus on urgent care, PDS teams continue to work hard to balance competing priorities while striving to provide the best possible care for children in need at NHS Ayrshire & Arran.”
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