Mr. Fintan Hourihan:

Currently, eight or nine of ten adults are entitled to a free dental examination because they are covered by the medical card scheme or the PRSI scheme. The profession currently provides examinations to practically everyone. Likewise, when children are seen in the public service there is no charge. There is, therefore, no charge for the overwhelming majority of adults and for children under 16 years of age. The question is whether sufficient resources are in place to allow that to happen. Obviously, not everyone will avail of the option.

Dentistry is all about prevention and dentists would like to see far more focus on prevention. To be fair, this has been recognised in the oral health policy but making it happen requires supports. As a medical doctor, the Chairman will be aware that a significant level of free care is available to patients when they see their doctors and the cost is met by the State. Far less free care is available to patients when they see their dentists but that is the nature of the existing contract. The problem is that the treatments and the limitations on treatments render that less than ideal. Clearly, more people are coming into the country all the time and more expenditure is needed to allow them to avail of treatments.

Children are currently seen in the public service. Every child is seen, which is a great facility. If they are not seen as regularly as they should be, it is because there are not enough dentists in the public service. That is why it is astonishing to us that there is a proposal to take the service away and to instead have a completely different model that relies on people showing up, instead of bringing them all into the public service clinic. The problem with the service. as currently structured, is that there are not enough dentists. This means children are not seen as frequently as they would otherwise be.