Louise O'Reilly
Question:822. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the cost of restoring funding for dental maintenance treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10273/16]
View answerTuesday, 17 May 2016
Questions (822)
Written answers
I assume the Deputy is referring to the dental treatment provided to medical card holders over the age of 16 under the Dental Treatment Service Scheme (DTSS). All medical card holders are entitled to specific dental treatments under the DTSS, e.g., an annual dental examination, two fillings in each calendar year, and extractions as necessary. More complex care such as root canal treatment, gum treatment and dentures may also be provided subject to prior approval by the HSE. Additional treatments are available to persons with specific medical conditions, including persons in receipt of care or services for a disability, persons on a register of disability and more vulnerable clients. The HSE prioritises for treatment patients with special needs, high risk patients and those who have greater clinical needs. Expenditure on the DTSS amounted to €67m in 2015. The cost of restoring treatments which had been provided before 2010 to all medical card holders would depend on a number of factors, including the underlying oral health of the population and the likely level of take-up of such services. The HSE continues to monitor the operation of the DTSS to ensure the most beneficial, effective and efficient use of available resources.
Future service provision will be informed by the National Oral Health Policy, which the Department of Health is currently developing. This three-year project commenced in 2014 and is being led by the Chief Dental Officer. The project includes a needs assessment, a review of resources and involves consultation with stakeholders, including dental professionals and the public.