James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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28. To ask the Minister for Health if analyses on the usage of medical cards in dental practices in Ireland have been completed recently; if so, if the number of dentists not accepting medical cards has increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26968/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) is the national dental scheme for medical card holders over the age of 16. The Scheme is provided by those private dentists who hold contracts with the HSE.

The HSE monitors data on the number of dental professionals holding contracts in the DTSS, the number of contractors who submit claims and the number and type of claims made under the Scheme. Currently there are 1,096 dental contractors with the HSE. This compares with 1,151 contract holders at the end of 2021 and 1,354 at the end of 2020. These figures do not include dentists who are employed by contracted dentists who may also contribute to service provision.

In order to compare the number of dentists providing care in the DTSS over time, figures on the number of contractors submitting claims are a more useful measure. In 2020 claims were received from 815 contractors; in 2021 the equivalent figure was 689. By the end of April 2022, 656 contractors had submitted claims.

I have recently approved a series of measures to provide for both an expansion of dental care for patients and increased fees for dental contractors. These changes are designed to secure services for medical card holders pending a more substantive reform of dental services to align with the National Oral Health Policy.