The dispute between my Department and the Irish Dental Association arose out of a claim by the association for substantial increases in the fees payable to dentists under the scheme. The action taken involved the imposition of increased charges by some dentists in breach of the contractual arrangements for the provision of dental benefit. This action commenced in early March this year.
Patients continued to be treated under the scheme at that stage while efforts were made to find a resolution to the underlying issue. In the absence of a resolution, my Department ceased in early August to accept claims from dentists who were not prepared to adhere to the contractual arrangements. However, the scheme continued to operate and patients continued to be treated by dentists who were prepared to adhere to their contracts. Following a temporary suspension of the action in October the association subsequently rejected proposals put to it and advised members to resume the action. Claims received while the association action was suspended have been processed in the normal way. The position in relation to those dentists who have resumed their action is that claims are not being accepted from them and their patients are being advised of the position.
Efforts to resolve the dispute are continuing but so far it has not been possible to reach agreement in a way which would afford the necessary level of protection for insured workers. Insured workers have been advised through the newspapers to check that their dentist is not imposing increased charges prior to starting treatment. They have also been advised that, where dentists offer to treat people as private patients, this is outside the terms of the dental benefit scheme and the Department will not be in a position to refund any costs arising. To do otherwise would undermine my efforts to secure a settlement which affords patients protection against the application of full private fees.
It will not be possible to assess the impact of the dispute on expenditure under the scheme until a settlement is reached and the impact on claims experience has been evaluated. At this stage, expenditure on the scheme in 2002 is budgeted at €35 million, the same level as applied in 2001.