Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Social Democrats for using their Private Members' time this week to discuss the serious failings in respect of dentistry services. The motion acknowledges that access to dental care has been in crisis. That is especially true in counties like my constituency of Clare. Urgent action was required by Government to address the serious failings. Instead, we got gestures and token add-ons. In 2022 we saw increases in fees payable to contracted dentists for examinations and fillings and the reintroduction of cleaning for medical card patients. That was a great way to respond to the reality that people in County Clare at that time were finding it absolutely impossible to find a dentist. Why is this happening? That is the running theme I have been pointing to. There is a lack of meaningful engagement from Government towards sectors, particularly those that are collapsing, such as the dentistry sector. Piecemeal tactics are being deployed in an effort to keep the noise down. I believe that and so do my constituents.

The facts are this. The number of dentists participating in the DTSS, which is the medical card scheme, has reduced by almost 50% and not all are active. In County Clare, there is a list of dentists who are taking part in the DTSS.

When calls are made, however, it will be found that they are no longer active or no longer participating or in a position to take on any new medical card patients. For the past three years, my constituents have been inconvenienced by either having to pay more to travel outside the county to access dentists, and taking time off work and everything that comes with that, or going without treatment altogether.

This is what I fear has been lost in the debacle that is the dental service in this country. The lack of reform, action and, ultimately, solutions is having a direct impact on people's attitudes and behaviours in respect of accessing health care. The reality is far worse than what we can imagine. The Government is normalising delayed care and people receiving no care and having no options. That is not acceptable, especially when we know that oral diseases disproportionately impact the poor and socially disadvantaged members of society. Untreated tooth decay is the most common health condition according to the global burden of diseases, never mind how it affects your self-esteem.

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