Trim councillors want meeting with HSE over dental clinic closure

Trim Town Councillors are to request a meeting with the HSE to discuss the closure of the public dental clinic in Trim and other issues in the area. The HSE's decision to close the dental clinic in Trim has prompted an angry backlash from parents. At last week's meeting of Trim Town Council, Cllr Gerry Reilly said he had been talking to some parents whose children are halfway through procedures and cannot get anything done. He said when they contacted the HSE, one of the parents was told there is a complaint form, and Cllr Reilly said parents should be aware and send in these complaints, have petitions and get the schools involved. "We need to get word out about the complaint forms or hand them out in the schools. We've got to put pressure on, people pressure," he said. "It seems like parents are having to go to a local dentist and pay a fortune for procedures and some parents can't afford it," added Cllr Reilly. Cllr Ray Butler said that one parent went to the clinic for their appointment to see a sign that it was closed. Even people with appointment cards had got no notification. "The HSE has told people it is only a temporary measure. We could ask as a group when is it going to be open again," he said. Cllr Phil Cantwell said that some years ago, the council had met officials from the health board and that maybe it was time to invite HSE North-East manager David Gaskin to Trim to meet the council. Cllr Vincent McHugh said the last time they met the health board, they did get something out of it and he felt this had been well worth it. Cllr James O'Shea said: "The closure of the dental clinic is unacceptable with no notice. To just take it away out of the blue for no reason is not acceptable. We should back what Cllr Reilly said and make as many complaints as possible." Cllr Butler said the answer they got back from the HSE was that there were only four full-time dentists and that they had been brought to Navan to sort out things there. He said that councillors who are on the HSE's Health Forum were at a meeting on the Monday and were never told that the clinics were being closed and had to find out about it via the media. Cllr Cantwell said they should meet with the officials and work with them to see what can be done. Subsequent to last week's council meeting, Cllr Butler said a dentist and dental nurse had visited St Joseph's Hospital in Trim to give advice on oral hygiene. He said: "There was a dentist and a dental nurse in St Joseph's talking to patients and staff about cleaning their teeth and what they are entitled to, yet the dental clinic in Trim was closed and some children with emergencies can't get work done."