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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 26 Nov 1996

Vol. 472 No. 1

Written Answers. - Dental Services.

Liam Aylward

Question:

123 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Health if he will amend phase two of the dental treatment services scheme which was introduced in November 1994, to include for routine treatment persons between the ages of 35 and 64 years who are medical card holders and in receipt of social welfare payments; and the reason a waiting list for such treatment is no longer retained by the South Eastern Health Board. [22422/96]

Limerick East): Under the dental treatment services scheme which was introduced by my Department on 1 November 1994 dental treatment will be extended to all adults with medical card eligibility on a phased basis.

Under Phase I and Phase II of the scheme routine dental treatment is available to medical card holders in the age groups 16 to 34 years and persons aged 65 years and over. Routine treatment will be extended to persons in the 35 to 64 year age group in line with the availability of resources.

Emergency dental treatment for the relief of pain is, however, available to all medical card holders irrespective of age and eligible persons over the age of 16 may attend any private dentist under contract with the health boards, if, in pain and in need of emergency treatment. In addition, full upper and full lower dentures are available to all edentulous medical card holders over the age of 16 years. All health boards also operate a priority waiting list for dental treatment for medically compromised persons who are given priority irrespective of age on production of a letter from their general medical practitioner.
The South-Eastern Health Board has advised me that a waiting list for persons in the 35 to 65 years age group applying for routine treatment is not maintained by the board as they are not currently eligible for routine treatment under the dental treatment services scheme.
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