Written answers

Tuesday, 11 December 2007

Department of Social and Family Affairs

Departmental Reports

9:00 pm

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 519: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the response by his Department to the recommendations made to his Department by the Competition Authority in its October 2007 report on competition in the dental profession; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33321/07]

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The final report on the investigation by the Competition Authority into the dental profession, published in October 2007, made the following recommendations which affect this Department:

1.The Health Service Executive and the Department of Social and Family Affairs should allow clinical dental technicians who are on the Register of Clinical Dental Technicians to be directly reimbursed under the Dental Treatment Services Scheme and the Dental Treatment Benefit Scheme, for the sale of dentures and for denture repairs.

2.The Health Service Executive and the Department of Social and Family Affairs should allow advanced dental hygienists who are on the Register of Advanced Dental Hygienists to be directly reimbursed under the Dental Treatment Services Scheme and the Dental Treatment Benefit Scheme for eligible dental treatments they provide.

Both recommendations can only be brought into force if other recommendations for the Dental Council and the Department of Health & Children are accepted and brought into force i.e. changes in the Dentists Act 1985 to allow for the registration of dental technicians and dental hygienists.

I am informed by the Minister for Health and Children that she is aware of the need to improve the competitive position of dental services in Ireland and in this regard she has welcomed the recent report and recommendations from the Competition Authority. In addition, the Minister for Health and Children recently announced the development of a new National Oral Health Policy and one of the central parts of this policy will be that of regulatory reform. The report by the Competition Authority will provide a solid foundation for the discussions on regulatory reform in the context of the National Oral Health Policy.

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