Children as young as ten are having teeth removed because they are not getting to see a dentist under the free state scheme.

All children are entitled to three dentist visits by the time they finish primary school.

However, less than half of the 200 thousand children waiting to be screened last year were actually seen.

The Irish Dental Association is warning of a severe decline in children's teeth as a result.

Fintan Hourihan who is Chief Executive Officer with the Association says over the past decade we have seen a reduction in the number of dentists in the HSE School Screening Service.

He has been telling Midwest News that the consequences for children is very severe.