By Michelle Canning Smith

A CRISIS is looming over dental care provision in Strabane, it has been claimed this week.

One councillor is concerned that patients are finding it difficult to register with local dentists.

Ivan Barr has said there appears to be a serious lack of adequate dental provision in the town, and claimed that it appeared that in all cases, the books are full.

As a result potential new patients are not being signed on, he said.

He called for the Board to undertake an urgent review o dental provision in the area.

The Strabane Chronicle can reveal that review has already taken place.

Judy McGaffin, Director of Dental Health, said a review of the entire Western Health area has already been conducted, including all of the district council areas.

The Board has now applied to the Department of Health for funding for salaried dentists, and are currently awaiting a reply.

The Board will then decide where the resources will be allocated but it has been pointed out that the worst area currently is Fermanagh.

Councillor Ivan Barr said he is concerned that some practices may be restricting availability to register to private patients only.

This, he said, highlights a major and urgent gap in health service provision.

"The Western Board needs to take steps to ensure there is adequate provision for every potential NHS patient.

"Is it now the case that without a healthy bank balance that dentists are inaccessible.

Donal McElholm, an NHS dentist, agrees that a crisis is looming over dental care in the area. He said many dentists are disillusioned with the government.

"I run a single man NHS practice in Strabane and since the new contracts were introduced there has been a reduction in real terms of 22 per cent in income. It's an extremely difficult job to do.

"Yes we are still registering but it could be five to six weeks before we actually see a patient, and anything up to eight to ten weeks before they receive treatment.

"The situation is so now that we are unable to send out six monthly appointments.

Some 75 to 80 per cent of his patients are on benefits.

"I fee that in the North West generally, in an area where tooth decay in children is the worst, that there is a under provision of dentists.

"There are not enough dentists and yet the government tinkers with budgets for dentistry, they are paying lip service when in fact we need funding.

At Robinsons dentists the practice books are currently full but that's a situation that is changing all the time.

Graham Robinson said, "Technically now the books are full but that is constantly reviewed, we do our best to accommodate potential patients.

"The books may be full now but in three to four weeks time we could be in a situation to register. As it is, we have a commitment to treat the people we already have on our books.

"If we can't look after the patients we already have because we are registering new patients, then we would have a situation where no one is happy."

He refuted claims that private patients are given preference.

"No definitely not, anyone who comes in to register is not asked if they are NHS or private.

He said his practice has never denied Health Service treatment but said there is a choice for patients to have work carried out privately.

"Yes I do some work privately but I am not denying anyone treatment under the health service, but patients have a choice.