Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy very much for raising this very important issue. I welcome the opportunity to address the issue of the current difficulties in the dental treatment services scheme. The DTSS provides dental care, free of charge, to people with medical cards aged 16 years and over. These services are provided by independent dental practitioners who have a contract with the HSE. Patients may choose to have their treatment undertaken by any dentist who participates in the scheme.

I am aware that there has been a reduction in the numbers of dentists participating in the DTSS since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. HSE figures indicate that up to the end of April 2021 approximately 213 dentists had left the scheme or had notified the HSE of their intent to leave the scheme. Of those, approximately 27 had left or had notified the HSE of their intent to leave between January and the end of April 2021, with 112 applications for new contracts being processed. To answer the Deputy's question directly, there are approximately 1,200 contracted dentists at present, with approximately 700 claiming per month.

Some people have been experiencing problems in accessing dental services close to their home as a result of dentists leaving the DTSS and there is probably not a Deputy in the House who is not aware of it. However, the HSE has assured the Department of Health that its local services on the ground will assist any individuals who are experiencing problems in accessing a service. Officials in the Department of Health have been engaging with the Irish Dental Association since the start of the pandemic. My colleague, the Minister for Health, met with IDA representatives in November 2020 to discuss their concerns and he addressed their annual conference last month. The Minister has asked officials in the Department to work with the HSE and the IDA to develop solutions that will ensure the sustainability and viability of the DTSS. The Minister is committed to ensuring all eligible persons should continue to receive the services that they deserve from their local dentist of choice.

The future provision of oral healthcare services will be informed by the national oral health policy, Smile agus Sláinte, which was published in 2019. It includes proposals for the introduction of packages of oral healthcare for adults with medical cards at different intervals during their life course. The packages will focus on preventive dental services. Routine care, including additional fillings and complex care, will continue to be available in addition to the preventive packages of care. The Minister is committed to ensuring the sustainability and viability of the DTSS. It will need to be revised to align with up-to-date best practice and evidence. This will mean - and this is the really important part - moving away from symptom-led attendance and an emergency focus, to encouraging attendance for preventive care and the provision of evidence-based oral health care tailored to each individual's needs.

There was an intention to commence a review of the contract between dental practitioners and the HSE last year. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic this was not possible. However, the Minister has asked officials in the Department to engage with the Irish Dental Association to commence this process. A meeting between the Department, the HSE and the Irish Dental Association is being organised for next week and the Minister is confident that progress will be made in resolving the current difficulties.

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