Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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158. To ask the Minister for Health the number of dentists in the State today who provide services to medical card patients under the scheme for free; if she is concerned as to the significant drop in dentists providing these services; if she will re-engage to try and bring more dentists back into the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33021/25]

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. Access to care has continued to improve, an additional 2,463 patients have been treated, and a further 7,836 treatments provided in the January-May 2025 period compared to the same period in 2024.

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 new Programme for Government contains commitments to implement the National Oral Health Policy and to reform oral healthcare services for medical card holders.

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.

The Policy also contains a range of strategic workforce planning actions to increase national workforce capacity, in support of improving patient access to care. The Department of Health has recently finalised a workforce census framework for oral healthcare and work is progressing on a scoping project for a mid-level professional grade for oral healthcare, as an additional measure to increase capacity in the workforce. A programme to encourage the redistribution of oral healthcare professionals to underserved areas is also a key action in the Policy. For oral healthcare professionals working in isolated rural areas far away from centres of education, it will be essential to provide support in the form of mentoring programmes as well as by introducing long-distance and accessible continuing development education programmes.

I have asked the HSE to forward the requested data, the number of dentists in the State today who provide services to medical card patients under the scheme for free, to the Deputy as soon as possible.