Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 March 2013
132. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 252 of 6 March 2013, the services and treatments available to diabetes Type 1 patients under the medical card scheme. [13463/13]
View answerThe Dental Treatment Service Scheme (DTSS) provides access to dental treatment for adult medical card holders. All medical card holders are entitled to specific dental treatments e.g., an annual dental examination, two fillings in each calendar year, extractions as necessary. Patients with special needs, high risk patients and those who have greater clinical needs, including patients with type 1 diabetes, receive a wider range of services. This may include all fillings as required and more complex care such as root canal treatment, gum treatment and dentures. Dentists must apply to the HSE for approval to provide such additional services. The HSE has issued Standard Operating Procedures to HSE Principal Dental Surgeons and dental contractors to support equitable and priority funding and to provide clear guidance to dentists on the application of such requests.
