Vol. 502 No. 2
87 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason dental benefit is refused to women over 35 and under 65 who have medical cards and who do not otherwise qualify for this treatment on foot of insurance contributions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7566/99]
Adult dental services are being developed in accordance with the dental health action plan.
The action plan provides for the extension of dental treatment to all adults with medical card entitlement on a phased basis under the dental treatment services scheme.
Under the first and second phases of the scheme, emergency dental services are now available to all eligible adults, including those in the 35 to 64 years age group. Full denture treatment is available to all edentulous – no natural teeth – adults. Routine dental treatment is available to persons in the 16-34 years age group and the 65 years and over age group.
This year I am making additional funds available to health boards for the dental treatment services scheme to enable the boards to extend routine treatment to the remaining age group, the 35 to 64 age group, in the final quarter of the year.
These additional funds will be committed to the scheme when I have a firm undertaking from the Irish Dental Association to implement revised procedures designed to ensure greater accountability under the scheme. These procedures were designed in full consultation with the association over the past two years.
The revised procedures will also make the scheme more user friendly for the patient and the dental practitioner.
