Vol. 501 No. 2
279 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children the proposals, if any, in relation to the adult choice of dentist scheme; if the scheme will be extended to include all medical card holders of all age groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5681/99]
I will continue to develop adult dental services 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 treatment is now available to all adults. Full denture treatment is available to all edentulous – no natural teeth – adults. Routine dental treatment is available to adults in the 16-34 age group and the 65 years and over age group.
This year I am making additional funding available to health boards for the dental treatment services scheme to enable the boards to extend routine treatment to the remaining age group – the 35-64 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 probity and accountability under the scheme. These revised procedures will also make the scheme more user friendly both for the patient and for the dental practitioner.
