15,000 minors in the dental queue in Oslo

At the dentist.Photo: Frank May / NTB scanpix NB! MODELLKLARERT

15,000 children and young people in dental queue in Oslo

Population growth is seen as one of the reasons why 14,900 children and young people must wait up to six months to receive treatment at Oslo’s municipal dental health service.

 

Children and young people are in dental care queues because their appointment has been postponed wrote Aftenposten newspaper. The figure is from the last count, which was December the 4th.

About 6,000 children have waited three to six months longer than they should have, while around 7,000 children have been waiting for one to two months longer. 2,000 children
have been released faster than planned the newspaper was told by county dentist, Lene Helweng-Larsen.

Population growth

Population growth in the municipality is one of the reasons for the queues. In recent years, population growth has been large, and at one point there was a net growth of 3,000 to 4,000 users a year according to the county council doctor.

“We have not had the opportunity to staff up accordingly,” said Helweng-Larsen to the newspaper.

Backlog

There has also been a backlog. The municipality has, during periods, such as in the autumn, put in extra resources to treat patients on evenings and weekends to bring down the queue.

If you count on the other groups that are entitled to free treatment, the queue in December is around 16,800 people.

The municipal health services have a total of 50,000 users.


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