An Invercargill woman said she had been suffering toothache for three weeks because of a chronic shortage of dentists in Invercargill.
One of Saturn Turnbull’s left-side molars had been aching for some time but worsened three weeks ago when some of the tooth chipped off.
“I enjoyed 40 hours of childbirth more than I enjoy having to live with toothache,” she said yesterday.
The personal trainer had tried to book an appointment with her own dentist but was told by a receptionist she could not get an appointment until June and was given the emergency dental number and told to ring it, she said.
However, the message there says there is a critical dentist shortage in Southland and the service is unavailable during normal working week-days.
It says dentists are listed in the Yellow Pages and might be able to provide emergency care. Anyone with major or life-threatening dental trauma should contact the Southland Hospital emergency department, the message says.
Mrs Turnbull said she called the 15 dental clinics in Invercargill listed in the Yellow Pages but none was prepared to see her.
She had even called the three listed in Gore and was “practically laughed at” by receptionists, she said.
The pain was interfering with her work, making it difficult for her to concentrate while taking aerobics classes and dealing with clients.
“I’m living on about six to eight Nurofen and six Panadols a day, just to get through the day.
“The pain goes right across my face but there’s nothing I can do about it.”
She was not eligible for emergency treatment at Southland Hospital unless the problem was life-threatening because she did not hold a community services card, she said.
She was desperate and said it was appalling that it had become so difficult to find a dentist.
New Zealand Dental Association Southland branch president Hilary Strang is on leave and could not be reached for comment.
However, a receptionist at a dental clinic in Invercargill said the emergency dental treatment was still available but only on weekends.
The emergency dental line does not inform people of that.
The receptionist said the line was switched to another recorded message at 5pm on Fridays to inform patients of who to contact for emergency treatment during the weekend.
When The Southland Times telephoned at 5.20pm the message had not been switched over.
Southland District Health Board acting chief operating officer Leanne Samuel says in a written statement that to access emergency dental services the person needs to have approval from Work and Income if they are a beneficiary or have a level of income similar to that.
They must also have a valid community services card, she says.
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