Medical card dental scheme dispute
Deputies Guirke, Tully and Ó Murchú warned that dentists were leaving the medical card scheme, leaving patients without access to treatment and exposing flaws in the DTSS. The Tánaiste said he would ask the Minister for Health for an update and hoped the engagement between the Department, HSE and Irish Dental Association would resolve it.
There is a nationwide dispute involving dentists. People with medical cards have been told that, as of 1 January, their cards will not be accepted as payment. Many of them cannot avail of dental treatment otherwise. Will the Tánaiste provide an update on the negotiations with the dentists and is the dispute close to being resolved?
Comment on this
I have been contacted by several constituents who have received letters from their dentists stating that the latter are withdrawing from the medical card scheme. This appears to be widespread. I have heard from dentists who have told me that the issue of personal protective equipment, PPE, is the straw that broke the camel's back. They say that the dental treatment services scheme, DTSS, has not been increased since 2007, is a sham and is not fit for purpose. Practice owners will survive without the medical card scheme, but dental nurses and associate dentists will not have jobs and patients will not have free dental treatment. Many practices donated PPE to the HSE and others in the early stages of the Covid pandemic on the understanding that it would be returned to them, but that did not happen. They say that the scheme is collapsing. Will these issues be addressed as a matter of urgency?
Comment on this
The Irish Dental Association stated within the past fortnight that 260 dentists had removed themselves from the scheme. It has already been said that the PPE issue was the straw that broke the camel's back. The DTSS is not working. A large number of medical card holders will not be able to avail of proper dental care. A review of the dental care system is required. I raised this matter with the Tánaiste previously. Will he update us? It needs to be addressed as soon as possible.
Comment on this
I thank the Deputies for raising this important issue. I do not have an update at the moment, but I will ask the Minister for Health to provide one to the Deputies. I understand that there is an engagement involving the Irish Dental Association, the HSE and the Department of Health. I hope that the issue can be resolved.