Debate contribution: NHS Dentistry: North Belfast

Debate contribution by Ms Carál Ní Chuilín on 14 April 2026.

MLA

Ms Carál Ní Chuilín

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

14 April 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Adjournment

Heading

NHS Dentistry: North Belfast

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5482957

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I thank Phillip Brett for bringing the Adjournment debate. The Minister will be glad to know that we will soon have another Adjournment debate in relation to North Belfast. It is on multidisciplinary teams — another issue that we have been raising. I also apologise, because I have an appointment in the constituency and will have to leave soon, but I wanted to contribute to the debate. Why are we raising these issues in Adjournment debates? We are doing so because, as Phillip said, people are contacting us on a regular basis. It is no coincidence that the standard of oral health, particularly in children, in the North Belfast, West Belfast and Foyle constituencies is among some of the worst. The sobering figures have been persistent for many decades. I have often heard the Minister talk about being a champion to address inequalities in health. This is an example of where he needs to step up. I appreciate Phillip saying that he will go with him to speak to whoever. We all would, but, at the end of the day, if the Minister says that he is going to make it a priority, we need to see what that will look like. When is it going to happen? How is it going to happen? In preparation for this, I spoke to constituents, particularly teenagers. This is not about cosmetic work: it is not about that. It is about people who are living in pain. One constituent explained to me that the constant use of antibiotics, as a result of asthma and other respiratory illnesses as a child, has meant that his teeth are discoloured. I could see it. He is self-conscious. His parents are considering going to a credit union, again, to try to fund treatment for him. That is an absolute disgrace. I do not think that anybody wants that to happen on their watch. We have children growing up in poverty who have ill health and poor health outcomes, and dental decay will be added to the list of outcomes. Our dentists have been very good. We know that they are running businesses, but they became dentists, primarily, to offer their support, services and expertise to a public health system. We are now seeing that, in North Belfast, dentistry and oral health services in general are not free at the point of need. The Minister needs to fess up to that. Those services are not free at the point of need for many people. Phillip spoke about the displacement of some very good dentists. The top three issues that we get contacted about are health, housing and education, and they are followed by jobs. Dentistry has been a persistently stubborn issue within health. Dentists did their best, as did every health professional, during the COVID pandemic and global crisis, but a lot of people are saying that, since COVID, deregistration and a lack of access to public dentistry have been particularly pronounced. I welcome the Adjournment debate. We all know that it is not easy for constituents to contact us, particularly when it is on something about which they are self-conscious, such as their teeth or appearance. The system in which dentistry is configured and the format for payments are well outdated. That is part of the reason why the ability of dentists to offer affordable public services has become so tight.

If there is another way to do that, I am sure that the Minister will be rigorous in testing his officials to find ways to make that happen. I am sure that, like the rest of us, he has had many constituents contact him about the issue. However, I can assure you that, in the worst areas of multiple deprivation, poor oral health is related to poor diet and poverty and, unfortunately, this is a persistent issue. I appeal to the Minister to have another look. Again, I offer apologies because I really must go, but I appreciate the Adjournment debate. I want to say one more thing. The Royal has been excellent, but there is a pathway there for children with special needs. In my constituency, I am noticing that more children who are on the autism spectrum and who have ADHD and pathological demand avoidance are refusing to attend. In fact, they are not refusing; they cannot go into a dentist. Time is money. For them to go to a specialist service, people will have to start paying for it. Despite some great training that the dental staff have done, the parents who I have spoken to about that and many other issues ask me to raise it because, increasingly, a lot of children, due to neurodiversity, find it really difficult to go a dentist, and their families find it difficult to bring them. Again, thank you, Phillip. I will read the Minister's response in Hansard.

812 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 15:20 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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