Independentie
Menu
Sections
Menu
Sections
Shut down
Gabija Gataveckaite Twitter
E-mail
Young dental patients with medical cards will not be treated like private patients as people in an « unequal system » lose their teeth early in life, TDs and Senators announced today.
According to the Oireachtas Health Committee, young people will participate in Unlimited extractions for health card holders teeth removed instead of preventive treatment.
Representatives from the Irish Dental Association (IDA) told the committee how cuts will be made to the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) in 2010 have led to a “bleak” situation for dentists participating in the program.
They said that unlimited extractions are currently offered under the program to health card holders – but cleaning and polishing treatments have been suspended.
In In emergency situations, two fillings per year are allowed, and other treatments, including root canals or dentures, are allowed also only available in emergencies.
This means that few patients take up the program and dentists do not participate, leaving the “weakest” without adequate dental care.
« The situation has never been as bleak as it is now, « said the chairman of the association, Fintan Hourihan.
» In the history of the system, there has never been a problem of this magnitude or magnitude, « he said.
» It’s cheaper taking out a tooth than actually doing the right procedure to care for the tooth, « emphasized Dr. Anne O’Neill, president of the association.
« You are trained to take the best preventive measures and the health card does not allow you to do so, » she said.
Mr Hourihan said the cuts made in 2009 and 2010 were “uncomfortable” for many dentists.
« People are now being discouraged from going to the dentist if they think they are the amount of extractions is not limited, but the number of fillings is limited to use this basic example, « he added.
While official figures show that around 1,000 dentists are currently using the program, Mr. Goes Hourihan assumes that the actual number will be significantly lower.
Enter your email address
This field is required
registration
As fewer dentists attended the program, the meeting heard that fewer people had access to dental care.
The association also said it had a framework for an opportunity in a meeting with the Ministry of Health in November last year to re-run the current DTSS.
They said, however, that although they had been promised a follow-up meeting with the Minister, this had not yet taken place. The minister is due to appear before the association’s general meeting in May.
Independentie
search
search
An INM website
© Independent.ie
Ref: https://www.independent.ie
