Written answers
Thursday, 7 April 2022
Department of Health
Dental Services
Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent)
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370. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the extremely long waiting time that primary school children are forced to endure to receive orthodontic appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18905/22]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent)
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371. To ask the Minister for Health if discussions are expected to result in an increase to the dentistry treatments that are available to patients with medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18906/22]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I have acknowledged immediate issues of concern with the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS), which I am addressing as a matter of priority. Officials from my Department and from the HSE have held three rounds of discussions with the Irish Dental Association, the most recent on 2nd March when my Department and the HSE presented proposals to invest additional resources in the DTSS.
I have now given approval for significant fee increases to be paid to contracted dentists across a number of items, including the Dental Examination and Fillings. I have also approved the reintroduction of Scale and Polish for medical card patients on the DTSS. These new measures are designed to address access problems for patients, and address dentist’s concerns about the viability of the DTSS, while aligning the DTSS more closely with the Dental Treatment Benefits Scheme, which is widely operated by private dentists for PRSI patients.
These measures should amount to an additional investment this year of about €26 million over what was spent on the Scheme in 2021. My Department and the HSE will work together to quickly implement the changes to the Scheme for the benefit of patients.
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