Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1439. To ask the Minister for Health the number of dental practices in counties Louth and Meath respectively who are or were in the dental treatment services scheme in each of the years 2019 to 2022 and on 1 January, 2023; if he will provide an update on the status of his stated plans to review the DTSS; the timeline for completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1281/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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.

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