Dental treatment scheme shortage
Deputy Brady said the dental treatment services scheme was in chaos and that vulnerable medical-card patients in Wicklow were losing access as participating dentists fell sharply. The Minister said no legislative change was planned and would ask the Minister for Health to respond directly.
The dental treatment services scheme is in complete chaos. This important scheme provides access to dental treatment to some of the most vulnerable people in the State - those who hold medical cards. My constituency of Wicklow is one of the worst-affected counties in the State. In 2017, 52 dentists were participating in the scheme. That is now down to 18 dentists within the county. The impact this has had means that some of the most vulnerable people are foregoing treatment, have to travel large distances to try to get a dentist who is part of the scheme or are paying huge sums of money to get private treatment. What actions are being taken at this point to address the crisis within this service?
Comment on this
I am not aware of any legislative change that is currently planned on this matter. I cannot imagine that it would be needed. I will have to ask the Minister for Health to come back to the Deputy directly.