Written answers

Thursday, 7 April 2022

Photo of John McGuinnessJohn McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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378. To ask the Minister for Health the number of meetings that he and or his officials have had with an organisation (details supplied) since 2020; the number of dentists offering services under the medical card scheme in each of the past five years; the last occasion that dentists received an increase in fees for their service; if he plans to reform and modernise the scheme to allow dentists to refer patients for specialist treatments; if he plans to lift the restrictions on the way that treatments are provided and the materials that a dentist must use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18967/22]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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There was continued engagement between my officials, the HSE and the dental community, including the Irish Dental Association (IDA) throughout the pandemic on infection control measures, guidelines for safe dental practice, and ensuring that dental professionals were included in the high-risk group for early vaccination. Officials from my Department and from the HSE have also held three rounds of discussions with the IDA, the most recent on 2nd March 2022 when my Department and the HSE presented proposals to invest additional resources in the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS), including €10m provided in the Budget, on top of the 2022 Estimate allocation of €56 million.

I have recently 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.

The National Oral Health Policy, "Smile agus Sláinte" (2019) sets out the roadmap for the future provision of oral healthcare to the eligible population. It has two key goals; first, to provide the supports to enable every individual to achieve their best oral health, and second, to reduce oral health inequalities across the population, by enabling vulnerable groups to access oral healthcare and improve their oral health. My Department will be working with stakeholders to address the issues raised by the Deputy, implement the actions identified in the Policy and overcome the delays caused by the pandemic.

I have asked the HSE to forward the requested data on the number of dentists participating in the DTSS to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Photo of James LawlessJames Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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379. To ask the Minister for Health if he will examine a matter in which a person (details supplied) requires urgent dental treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18979/22]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen 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.

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