From this week’s Galway City Tribune – A young dental patient resorted to cutting her braces with a pliers to get relief from pain after no orthodontist would help her.

The girl was a patient of Oranmore dentist Dr Anne Hahessy, who quit her practice after being suspended by the Dental Council, leaving hundreds of patients in the middle of treatment “high and dry”.

Their plight was raised by Senator Sean Kyne, who told the Seanad on Wednesday that the Dental Council of Ireland, the Dental Complaints Resolution Service and the Department of Health are “washing their hands” of the situation.

“I will recount the story of one family. The daughter’s braces broke and she was in pain with the wires sticking into her jaw. Her parents said no-one would help them so they resorted to a pliers being used to cut the wire to give their daughter some relief.

“It is not the only case I have heard where parents’ only solution has been to go and find a pliers in emergencies in Galway,” said Senator Kyne.

This is a shortened preview version of this article. To read the rest of this story, see the September 16 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.