Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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521. To ask the Minister for Health if he will report on the talks held with an organisation (details supplied) regarding medical card holders and their access to dental care; his views on the actions taken by his Department to ensure these persons get medical cover under the scheme. [60192/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides dental care, free of charge, to medical card holders aged 16 and over. I recognise that there is a need to substantively review and reform the DTSS to align with best international evidence and practice, as outlined in the National Oral Health Policy, Smile agus Sláinte (2019).

Work has begun on this review and officials in my Department are engaging with stakeholders, including the Irish Dental Association. The Chief Dental Officer met with the Irish Dental Association on 29th July and 2nd December to discuss implementation of the Policy. I expect significant further progress to be made in 2023 and have made an unprecedented additional allocation of €15 million in Budget 2023 to support this work and enhance the provision of oral healthcare services next year. This is additional to the €148 million that is already provided for oral healthcare each year across the DTSS, the HSE Public Dental Service and orthodontic services provided by the HSE.  

On top of this €15 million allocation, resources will also be made available in 2023 for new clinical leadership posts and for other supporting staff to allow substantive reform of the provision of public oral healthcare services to all ages to commence. The implementation plan for Smile Agus Sláinte will prioritise the alleviation of access issues for oral healthcare.

In recognition of the issues that have been experienced in some parts of the country in accessing oral healthcare, the €15m award includes €5 million to support the HSE to provide care to its patient cohorts in 2023, including adult medical card holders who are in need of emergency care and are still struggling to access a local dentist. This is intended to protect patient access to oral healthcare services while the transformative reform programme progresses.

These further measures come on top of a package of measures introduced from 1 May 2022, following consultation with the Irish Dental Association, to expand the Scheme and increase the fees paid to contractors. The numbers of patients being seen, the numbers of treatments being provided and the number of claims being submitted under the DTSS have all increased in recent months.