asked the Minister for Health the present situation in relation to the operation of the choice of dentist scheme for medical card holders; and whether medical card holders can now avail themselves of this scheme.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Choice of Dentist Scheme.
7.
All health boards are operating the choice of dentist scheme. Persons wishing to obtain services under the scheme should apply to their local health boards.
I think I heard the Minister say that the scheme is not effective from the point of view of many card holders because the dentists are not participating for some reason. Is there a conflict between the Minister and the dentists which has not been resolved? If so has the Minister made any attempt to resolve it? Does the Minister intend to try to make it an effective scheme for the medical card holders?
The Deputy is referring to negotiations last year in relation to charges and arrangements for payments. It was an interim scheme until these matters were negotiated and while negotiations were taking place some of the dentists withdrew from the scheme. I am glad to say that since negotiations were concluded dentists have come back into the scheme, not necessarily all of them. On 1 January 1981 the number participating was 339.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Surely the Minister is not serious in holding this out as a working choice of dentist scheme? Is he aware there are vast areas of the country which are completely uncovered and that some county towns have not got a dentist in the scheme nor is there a dentist in the scheme within 30 miles of some towns? Will the Minister try to make the scheme more attractive so that the dentists will participate?
This is a new scheme introduced towards the end of 1977 and it came into operation early in 1980. It has been a successful innovative scheme. Four hundred dentists took part in the scheme. I visited Deputy Browne's local health centre recently and there is not a waiting list there — the scheme is working very effectively. Broadly speaking, dentists are participating.
When the scheme is working as all of us would like to see it working, how many dentists will be needed? The Minister has told us the number now in the scheme is 400.
I do not have that information. If the Deputy puts a question down I will try to answer it.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Would the Minister try to avail of local knowledge? For example, there is not a dental scheme in Cavan town. The nearest centre participating in the scheme is Monaghan, about 30 miles away.
The scheme was introduced at the beginning of last year and there are 339 dentists participating who were not there previously. No matter what I do to improve services Deputies opposite say it is not as good as it might be. I appreciate we can always have better schemes.
(Cavan-Monaghan): How many of the dentists are in Dublin?