Complaint about ill-fitting dentures
Bruton asks what recourse a Meath patient has after paying for dentures that did not fit, and whether complaints can be independently investigated. Gallagher says she received two dentures and later reported the second was ill-fitting; the Department referred the matter for a second opinion.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware that a person (details supplied) in County Meath had a set of dentures made by a dentist (details supplied) and that despite representations both directly to him and to the Department of Social Welfare she has been unable to recover the money she paid for them; if he is satisfied that there is adequate recourse available to dental patients of professional inadequacies; and if he has any plans to change the law in this area so as to provide some independent means for dental patients to have their complaints investigated.
Comment on this
(Mayo West): The insured person concerned claimed dental benefit in July 1980 and was supplied with an acrylic denture. She signed a declaration to the effect that it had been fitted to her satisfaction.
In January 1981 she claimed that the denture supplied had become ill-fitting and requested a chrome cobalt denture which was supplied. She again signed a declaration that the denture had been fitted to her satisfaction.
In October 1981 the claimant notified my Department that the chrome cobalt denture was ill-fitting and the matter was referred for a second opinion to an examining dentist. He reported that, while the denture fitted the original mould, it did not appear to fit properly at the time of the examination.
The dentist involved then offered to supply a new chrome cobalt denture free of charge and in the meantime supplied a temporary acrylic denture, also free of charge. The new chrome cobalt denture was tested by the dentist, with a dental technician present, and arrangements were made for a final fitting but the claimant failed to attend for this fitting.
The Department paid a subvention towards both the original acrylic and chrome cobalt dentures, the balance being paid to the dentist on both occasions by the claimant. Any question of a refund is therefore a matter between the claimant and the dentist. The latter has however sold the practice and has left the country. The dentist who purchased the practice is prepared to complete the fitting of the chrome cobalt denture prepared by the previous dentist.
As regards the dental benefit scheme generally I am satisfied that there are adequate safeguards in the scheme for the investigation of complaints. In addition to the system of examining dentists my Department has a dental adviser available to advise on all matters, including complaints, arising out of the treatment of insured persons. Although approximately 200,000 claims for dental benefit are received each year there are very few complaints against the dentists participating in the scheme.