Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for the opportunity to bring this issue to the attention of the House and the Minister of State. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, for stepping in on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, whose area this is. The dental treatment services scheme, DTSS, provides access to dental treatment for adult medical card holders aged 16 years or older. Medical card holders are entitled to a free dental examination in each calendar year as well as any extractions required, along with a number of other services. Last November it was reported the number of private dentists participating in this scheme had dropped by 16%, from 16,054 to 13,093 in the ten months between January and October 2020. That is a large percentage reduction. It is estimated around 200,000 medical card holders are facing delays for treatment as result. On foot of these alarming reports I have submitted a parliamentary question to the Minister seeking a breakdown of the number of dentists per local electoral area in County Wexford. The response said there were ten dentists in Wexford and four in New Ross. Unfortunately, based on the following correspondence, it seems the situation may have worsened since those figures from last November. I quote an email from a constituent:

Dear Verona,

My dentist informed me that they have stopped treating medical card users and to contact Grogans road for further information. They told me that 4 dentists in Wexford and none in New Ross were still in the scheme. However when contacted they all told me they had left the scheme.

I am a pensioner in me 70s taking Warfarin which needs regular dental checks free under the scheme and now face heavy fees.

Is there any hope that there will be a dental medical scheme any time in the future.

It appears, therefore, that in the space of the eight months since last November, the number of dentists in the scheme from just two local electoral areas in County Wexford has reduced from 14 to 4. That is pretty alarming. I hope the Minister of State can confirm whether these figures are correct and what steps will be taken to address the issue of why so many dentists are now finding it unfeasible to continue in the scheme. I understand the Irish Dental Association, IDA, has met with Department of Health officials to discuss its concerns. I ask the Minister of State to outline in her response whether anything has happened as a result of those discussions and what solutions have been proposed.

See this speech in context