Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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1243. To ask the Minister for Health the provisions that his Department is taking to secure dental services for medical card holders in counties Roscommon and Galway; the services that are available to patients who cannot find a local dentist to avail of the dental treatment services scheme; when the current scheme will be replaced with a fit-for-purpose scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63539/22]

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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1246. To ask the Minister for Health the steps that his Department is taking to secure dental services for medical card holders in County Tipperary; the services that are available to patients who cannot find a local dentist to avail of the dental treatment services scheme; when the current scheme will be replaced with a fit-for-purpose scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63542/22]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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1249. To ask the Minister for Health the provisions his Department is taking to secure dental services for medical card holders in County Galway; the services available to patients who cannot find a local dentist to avail of the dental treatment services scheme; when the current dental treatment services scheme will be replaced with a fit-for-purpose scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63545/22]

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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1280. To ask the Minister for Health the provisions his Department is taking to secure dental services for medical card holders in County Wexford; the services available to patients who cannot find a local dentist to avail of the dental treatment services scheme; when the current DTSS will be replaced with a fit-for-purpose scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63652/22]

Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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1287. To ask the Minister for Health the provisions his Department is taking to secure dental services for medical card holders; the services available to patients who cannot find a local dentist to avail of the dental treatment services scheme; when the current DTSS will be replaced with a fit-for-purpose scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63659/22]

Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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1290. To ask the Minister for Health the provisions his Department is taking to secure dental services for medical card holders in Galway city and county; the services available to patients who cannot find a local dentist to avail of the dental treatment services scheme; when the current DTSS will be replaced with a fit-for-purpose scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63664/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1243, 1246, 1249, 1280, 1287 and 1290 together.

The Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides dental care, free of charge, to medical card holders aged 16 and over. Since May 1st 2022, there has been additional prevention treatments included and a 40-60% increase in fees across most treatment items. Since these measures came into effect, both the numbers of treatments and patients being seen have increased.

I am aware that there are some towns with no or limited DTSS dentists that have sufficient capacity to accept new patients. Where access to a dentist is difficult, local HSE services assist patients who make enquires and make lists of DTSS contractors available to medical card holders. In exceptional circumstances, the HSE assists patients to access emergency dental treatment by directly contacting private contractors or arranging treatment to be provided by HSE-employed dentists.

An additional allocation of €15 million has been made in Budget 2023 to enhance the provision of oral healthcare services. This includes €5 million allocated on a one-off basis to support the HSE Public Dental Service to provide care this year, including through a HSE ‘safety-net’ service for adult medical card holders who are in need of emergency care and are still having difficulty accessing a local dentist.

The Government recognises that substantive reform of the DTSS is required, as set out in the National Oral Health Policy. My Department is working closely with the HSE to ensure the establishment of focused implementation structures for the Policy to drive implementation. These implementation structures include the need for new clinical leadership and reform leadership posts in the HSE for which resources will be provided. These implementation structures will help to substantively reform the provision of public oral healthcare services to all ages, in line with the National Oral Health Policy. This will include work on planning new services for medical card holders.

While it will take a number of years to bring reform to complete fruition, there will be an early emphasis in implementation on addressing the current issues, including the reform of the provision of services for medical card holders.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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1244. To ask the Minister for Health the number of dental practices in counties Roscommon and Galway which have ceased providing medical card services to persons with disabilities in the past five years; the medical card dental services that are currently available to adult persons with disabilities; the provision that is in place for those whose local dentist withdraws from the provision of medical card services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63540/22]

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. Services available annually and on demand include an examination including preventative elements, two fillings, emergency extractions, and a scale and polish. Since May 1st 2022, there has been additional prevention treatments included and a 40-60% increase in fees across most treatment items. More complex care, such as dentures, is also available. Patients with additional needs can access a broader range of treatments.

The DTSS is a “choice of dentist” scheme which does not require the patient to register with a particular dentist and enables medical card holders, including those with additional needs, to attend any DTSS contractor directly without recourse to the HSE. Where access to a dentist is difficult, local HSE services assist patients who make enquires and make lists of DTSS contractors available to medical card holders. In exceptional circumstances, the HSE directly assists patients to access emergency dental treatment by contacting private contractors or arranging treatment through HSE-employed dentists.

Adults with additional needs who cannot receive care in a general dental practice setting may need special care services provided via the HSE Public Dental Services. A general dental practitioner or a GP can refer a patient to the HSE for receipt of special care services. A patient or caregiver can also make contact with the HSE directly. These patients who have additional needs are given an oral health examination and have their treatment provided using additional supports where necessary. Supports to care include Relative Analgesia, IV sedation and Dental General Anaesthetic.

I have asked the HSE to reply to the Deputy directly with the service-related information sought.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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1245. To ask the Minister for Health the number of dental practices in counties Roscommon and Galway which have ceased providing medical card services in the past five years; the medical card dental services currently available to medical card users; the provision that is in place for those whose local dentist withdraws from the provision of medical card services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63541/22]

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. Services available annually and on demand include an examination including preventative elements, two fillings, emergency extractions, and a scale and polish. Since May 1st 2022, there has been additional prevention treatments included and a 40-60% increase in fees across most treatment items. More complex care, such as dentures, and a broader range of treatments for patients with additional needs and high-risk patients are also available. 

The DTSS is a “choice of dentist” scheme which does not require the patient to register with a particular dentist and enables medical card holders to attend any DTSS contractor directly without recourse to the HSE. Where access to a dentist is difficult, local HSE services assist patients who make enquires and make lists of DTSS contractors available to medical card holders. In exceptional circumstances the HSE directly assists patients to access emergency dental treatment by contacting private contractors or arranging treatment through HSE-employed dentists.

I am aware that there are some towns with no or very few DTSS dentists that have sufficient capacity to accept new patients. For this reason, €5 million of additional funding has been allocated through Budget 2023 on a one-off basis to support the HSE Public Dental Service to provide care this year, including through a HSE ‘safety-net’ service for adult medical card holders who are in need of emergency care and are still struggling to access a local dentist.

I have asked the HSE to reply to the Deputy directly with the service-related information sought.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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1247. To ask the Minister for Health the number of dental practices in County Tipperary which have ceased providing medical card services to persons with disabilities in the past five years; the medical card dental services that are currently available to adult persons with disabilities; the provision that is in place for those whose local dentist withdraws from the provision of medical card services in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63543/22]

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. Services available annually and on demand include an examination including preventative elements, two fillings, emergency extractions, and a scale and polish. Since May 1st 2022, there has been additional prevention treatments included and a 40-60% increase in fees across most treatment items. More complex care, such as dentures, is also available. Patients with additional needs can access a broader range of treatments.

The DTSS is a “choice of dentist” scheme which does not require the patient to register with a particular dentist and enables medical card holders, including those with additional needs, to attend any DTSS contractor directly without recourse to the HSE. Where access to a dentist is difficult, local HSE services assist patients who make enquires and make lists of DTSS contractors available to medical card holders. In exceptional circumstances, the HSE directly assists patients to access emergency dental treatment by contacting private contractors or arranging treatment through HSE-employed dentists.

Adults with additional needs who cannot receive care in a general dental practice setting may need special care services provided via the HSE Public Dental Services. A general dental practitioner or a GP can refer a patient to the HSE for receipt of special care services. A patient or caregiver can also make contact with the HSE directly. These patients who have additional needs are given an oral health examination and have their treatment provided using additional supports where necessary. Supports to care include Relative Analgesia, IV sedation and Dental General Anaesthetic.

I have asked the HSE to reply to the Deputy directly with the service-related information sought.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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1248. To ask the Minister for Health the number of dental practices in County Tipperary that have ceased providing medical card services in the past five years; the medical card dental services that are currently available to medical card users; the provision in place for those whose local dentist withdraws from the provision of medical card services, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63544/22]

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. Services available annually and on demand include an examination including preventative elements, two fillings, emergency extractions, and a scale and polish. Since May 1st 2022, there has been additional prevention treatments included and a 40-60% increase in fees across most treatment items. More complex care, such as dentures, and a broader range of treatments for patients with additional needs and high-risk patients are also available. 

The DTSS is a “choice of dentist” scheme which does not require the patient to register with a particular dentist and enables medical card holders to attend any DTSS contractor directly without recourse to the HSE. Where access to a dentist is difficult, local HSE services assist patients who make enquires and make lists of DTSS contractors available to medical card holders. In exceptional circumstances the HSE directly assists patients to access emergency dental treatment by contacting private contractors or arranging treatment through HSE-employed dentists.

I am aware that there are some towns with no or very few DTSS dentists that have sufficient capacity to accept new patients. For this reason, €5 million of additional funding has been allocated through Budget 2023 on a one-off basis to support the HSE Public Dental Service to provide care this year, including through a HSE ‘safety- net’ service for adult medical card holders who are in need of emergency care and are still struggling to access a local dentist.

I have asked the HSE to reply to the Deputy directly with the service-related information sought.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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1250. To ask the Minister for Health the number of dental practices in County Galway which have ceased providing medical card services to persons with disabilities in the past five years; the medical card dental services that are currently available to adult persons with disabilities; the provisions in place for those whose local dentist withdraws from the provision of medical card services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63546/22]

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. Services available annually and on demand include an examination including preventative elements, two fillings, emergency extractions, and a scale and polish. Since May 1st 2022, there has been additional prevention treatments included and a 40-60% increase in fees across most treatment items. More complex care, such as dentures, is also available. Patients with additional needs can access a broader range of treatments.

The DTSS is a “choice of dentist” scheme which does not require the patient to register with a particular dentist and enables medical card holders, including those with additional needs, to attend any DTSS contractor directly without recourse to the HSE. Where access to a dentist is difficult, local HSE services assist patients who make enquires and make lists of DTSS contractors available to medical card holders. In exceptional circumstances, the HSE directly assists patients to access emergency dental treatment by contacting private contractors or arranging treatment through HSE-employed dentists.

Adults with additional needs who cannot receive care in a general dental practice setting may need special care services provided via the HSE Public Dental Services. A general dental practitioner or a GP can refer a patient to the HSE for receipt of special care services. A patient or caregiver can also make contact with the HSE directly. These patients who have additional needs are given an oral health examination and have their treatment provided using additional supports where necessary. Supports to care include Relative Analgesia, IV sedation and Dental General Anaesthetic.

I have asked the HSE to reply to the Deputy directly with the service-related information sought.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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1251. To ask the Minister for Health the number of dental practices in County Galway which have ceased providing medical card services in the past five years; the medical card dental services that are currently available to medical card users; the provisions in place for those whose local dentist withdraws from the provision of medical card services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63547/22]

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. Services available annually and on demand include an examination including preventative elements, two fillings, emergency extractions, and a scale and polish. Since May 1st 2022, there has been additional prevention treatments included and a 40-60% increase in fees across most treatment items. More complex care, such as dentures, and a broader range of treatments for patients with additional needs and high-risk patients are also available. 

The DTSS is a “choice of dentist” scheme which does not require the patient to register with a particular dentist and enables medical card holders to attend any DTSS contractor directly without recourse to the HSE. Where access to a dentist is difficult, local HSE services assist patients who make enquires and make lists of DTSS contractors available to medical card holders. In exceptional circumstances the HSE directly assists patients to access emergency dental treatment by contacting private contractors or arranging treatment through HSE-employed dentists.

I am aware that there are some towns with no or very few DTSS dentists that have sufficient capacity to accept new patients. For this reason, €5 million of additional funding has been allocated through Budget 2023 on a one-off basis to support the HSE Public Dental Service to provide care this year, including through a HSE ‘safety- net’ service for adult medical card holders who are in need of emergency care and are still struggling to access a local dentist.

I have asked the HSE to reply to the Deputy directly with the service-related information sought.