Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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317. To ask the Minister for Health the provision of primary dental care services; how they are funded; the costs to the general public; the procedures covered by medical cards; the cost for providing free at-the-point-of-care dental care to all citizens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19431/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Dental Treatment Service Scheme (DTSS) provides access to dental treatment for medical card holders over the age of 16. All medical card holders are entitled to specific dental treatments e.g., an annual dental examination, two fillings in each calendar year, extractions as necessary. Additional treatments are available to persons with specific medical conditions, including persons in receipt of care or services for a disability, persons on a register of disability and more vulnerable clients. The HSE prioritises for treatment patients with special needs, high risk patients and those who have greater clinical needs and will continue to monitor the operation of the DTSS to ensure the most beneficial, effective and efficient use of available resources. The budget for the DTSS is €76 million this year. The Minister for Social Protection is responsible for the Dental Treatment Benefit Scheme (DTBS), which provides an annual dental examination to qualified people. The budget for the DTBS is approximately €11 million.

Dental services for children up to 16 years of age and persons of all ages with special needs are provided by the Public Dental Service of the HSE through its dental clinics. All HSE dental clinics prioritise emergency care for children up to 16 years of age, treatment for special needs patients and screening of children aged from 11 to 13 years, including referral for orthodontic services where necessary. Other services, including screening of children 6 to 8 years, are provided but may be deferred in clinics where there is pressure on resources. The budget for the PDS is estimated at €60 million.

The full cost to the State of providing free dental care for all citizens would depend on numerous factors, including the underlying oral health of the population, the level of take-up of dental services, the level of service provided, and the cost of contracting such services on behalf of the State. Neither the Department nor the HSE collects data on private spending that is incurred by individuals paying for dental care. Future service provision will be informed by the National Oral Health Policy, which the Department of Health is currently developing.