Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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400. To ask the Minister for Health the date he last had face-to-face discussions with an organisation (details supplied) regarding the dental treatment services scheme; the outcome of those discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5422/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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It is a top priority for myself and for the Government to improve patient access to oral healthcare services, both in the short term through a range of interim measures, and in the long term through transformational reform of oral healthcare services in Ireland. This reform will be achieved through implementation of the National Oral Health Policy.

I, along with officials from my Department and from the HSE, met with the Irish Dental Association (IDA) on 20 November 2020. My officials then continued to engage with the IDA on a package of measures introduced from 1 May 2022, to expand the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) for adult medical card holders and increase the fees paid to contractors for most treatment items by 40-60%. The numbers of patients being seen and the numbers of treatments being provided under the DTSS have all increased in recent months. 

In addition, the Chief Dental Officer and other officials in the Department of Health met with the IDA on 29 July 2022 and 2 December 2022 to discuss implementation of the National Oral Health Policy.