Anne Rabbitte
Question:318. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health when the pre-economic crisis budget for the dental treatment services scheme will be reinstated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41001/18]
View answerTuesday, 9 October 2018
Questions (318)
Written answers
The Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides dental treatments to medical card holders. In 2010 the range of treatments provided under the Scheme was reduced in order to cap expenditure at the 2008 level of €63 million. Expenditure on the DTSS in 2017 was €63.3 million. The HSE continues to monitor the operation of the DTSS to ensure the most beneficial, effective and efficient use of available resources.
A new National Oral Health Policy is currently being developed and I expect it will be published later this year. The aim of the policy is to develop a model of care that will enable preventative approaches to be prioritised, improve access, and support interventions appropriate to current and future oral health needs. It is proposed that any future budgetary changes will be considered in the context of achieving these aims.