Age ranges of those on dental waiting list

Summary

The requester asked for dental waiting list age breakdowns, tooth decay treatment statistics for young children, and the total population of 1-6 year olds on the Isle of Man. Manx Care provided historical waiting list data from 2021 to 2024 but refused requests regarding tooth decay treatments and population counts as the information was not held.

Key Facts

• Manx Care does not hold data on the number of 1-6 year olds treated for tooth decay or the total population of that age group.
• Waiting list data was provided for age ranges 0-5, 6-11, 12-17, and 18+ from April 2021 to December 2024.
• The total number of people on the dental waiting list increased from 2,551 in April 2021 to 6,114 in December 2024.
• Some waiting list entries are marked as 'Unknown' because applicants did not provide age details or pregnant women added unborn children to the list.
• The request was partially refused under section 11(3)a of the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

Data Disclosed

• 2025-01-03
• 2025-02-05
• 4345337
• 2551
• 6114
• 0-5
• 6-11
• 12-17
• 18+
• 1-6
• section 11(3)a

Exemptions Cited

• Section 11(3)a of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Information not held)

Original Request

1. Please can you provide a breakdown of age ranges currently on the waiting list for an NHS dentist (ages 0-5, 6-11, 12-17, 18+) as of 3/1/2025. 2. How many 1-6 year olds have been treated for tooth decay as of 3/1/2025. 3. How many 1-6 year olds there currently are on the Isle of Man as of 3/1/2025.

Data Tables (4)

Full Response Text

Manx Care Noble’s Hospital, Strang Braddan, Isle of Man IM4 4R (01624) 650 000

Our ref: 4345337 5 February 2025

Dear

We write further to your request, received 3 January 2025, which states:

"1. Please can you provide a breakdown of age ranges currently on the waiting list for an NHS dentist (ages 0-5, 6-11, 12-17, 18+) as of 3/1/2025.

1. How many 1-6 year olds have been treated for tooth decay as of 3/1/2025.

2. How many 1-6 year olds there currently are on the Isle of Man as of 3/1/2025."

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested. This is in line with section 11(3)a of the Act, as a practical refusal reason applies; namely we do not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. This relates to point 2 and 3.

I have detailed below the information that is held.

“1. Please can you provide a breakdown of age ranges currently on the waiting list for an NHS dentist (ages 0-5, 6-11, 12-17, 18+) as of 3/1/2025.

Year 2021-2022 Age 0-5 Age 6-11 Age 12- 17 Over 18 Unknown Total April-21 277 238 154 1878 4 2551 May-21 290 238 151 1896 2 2577 June-21 308 258 161 2099 18 2844 July-21 301 251 166 1984 6 2708 Aug-21 309 257 178 2057 4 2805 Sept-21 289 238 154 1827 4 2512 Oct-21 267 207 137 1629 3 2243 Nov-21 267 200 134 1649 3 2253 Dec-21 273 210 139 1742 3 2367 Jan-22 268 212 146 1688 4 2318 Feb-22 286 235 155 1783 7 2466 Mar-22 292 228 161 1829 7 2517

Year 2022-2023 Age 0-5 Age 6-11 Age 12- 17 Over 18 Unknown Total April-22 314 236 169 1903 8 2630 May-22 320 218 153 1739 7 2437 June-22 328 215 145 1621 9 2318 July-22 339 225 150 1658 8 2380 Aug-22 357 233 159 1740 9 2498 Sept-22 365 246 165 1866 8 2650 Oct-22 388 271 189 2026 8 2882 Nov-22 414 297 204 2159 9 3083 Dec-22 429 302 215 2245 10 3201 Jan-23 446 323 228 2350 10 3357 Feb-23 464 335 240 2453 10 3502 Mar-23 473 356 246 2565 10 3650

Year 2023 -2024 Age 0-5 Age 6-11 Age 12- 17 Over 18 Unknown Total April-23 483 356 257 2638 9 3743 May-23 520 371 269 2703 10 3873 June-23 542 385 282 2807 10 4026 July-23 563 392 295 2922 10 4182 Aug-23 569 409 310 2966 15 4269 Sept-23 588 434 329 3104 15 4470 Oct-23 624 450 342 3195 15 4626 Nov-23 653 473 356 3338 16 4836 Dec-23 671 483 364 3415 17 4950 Jan-24 707 511 380 3574 17 5189 Feb-24 738 531 397 3712 18 5396 Mar-24 747 542 394 3632 16 5331

Year 2024-2025 Age 0-5 Age 6-11 Age 12- 17 Over 18 Unknown Total April-24 707 521 381 3453 14 5076 May-24 728 545 391 3563 16 5243 June-24 737 553 394 3659 17 5360 July-24 750 577 403 3782 17 5529 Aug-24 766 596 419 3892 17 5690 Sept-24 773 608 434 3965 17 5797 Oct-24 782 615 447 4069 17 5930 Nov-24 798 626 451 4153 17 6045 Dec-24 806 644 454 4193 17 6114

NB Please see below information relating to reasons for the unknown information

• Applicants have not provided this information when joining the allocation list

• Pregnant women joining the list are adding their unborn child to the list

• How many 1-6 year olds have been treated for tooth decay as of 3/1/2025?

• How many 1-6 year olds there currently are on the Isle of Man as of 3/1/2025?

Please quote the reference number 4345337 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely