David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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2003. To ask the Minister for Health her plans to ensure access to care for medical card holders who have an entitlement to dental treatment as provided for under the dental treatment services scheme; if there are plans to improve or replace the scheme to ensure access for patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18690/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides oral healthcare, 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, extractions, and a scale and polish. More complex care, such as dentures, additional fillings and a broader range of treatments for patients with additional needs and high-risk patients, are available subject to the approval of the local HSE Principal Dental Surgeon.

A package of measures was introduced in 2022 to expand the care available under the Scheme and significantly increase the fees paid to contractors. These measures have improved access to care: payments for contractor claims in 2024 show 227,691 additional treatments were provided nationally under the DTSS, with over 44,208 extra patients treated when compared with 2022.

In the longer term, the Government is committed to reforming oral healthcare services, including the DTSS, through the implementation of the National Oral Health Policy (NOHP), Smile Agus Sláinte. The policy provides a framework to comprehensively reform oral healthcare services, supported by accompanying reforms to legislation, strategic workforce planning and education and training. These new oral healthcare services will be prevention-focused and will be tailored to each age group across the life course from birth to old age. The new Programme for Government contains commitments to implement the National Oral Health Policy.

The implementation plan for the first phase of policy implementation, to end-2027, is currently being finalised by my Department and the HSE, following targeted consultation in Q3 last year, and includes reform of services for medical card holders as one of several priority actions.