Tipperary TD highlights withdrawal of dentists from the medical card scheme

Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath raised concerns in last Friday's sitting of the Daíl about the mass withdrawal of dentists from the Medical Card Scheme due to under funding.

A recent exodus of dentists from a Health Service Executive scheme to treat medical card holders is leaving children and adults with special needs with only an emergency dental service, and McGrath urged Tanaisté Leo Varadkar to address the departure of dentists from the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS).

The DTSS is a HSE run programme which allows private dentists to treat public patients, and with the funding not being provided, almost all areas of the country have seen dentists exiting the scheme, leaving some counties with little or no dental cover.

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"Families are struggling. They can't access dentists in many counties right now," Deputy McGrath remarked.

"They're having to travel to other counties to get treatment, sometimes up to 100 miles away. 

"We're going to have a huge crisis in years to come if young people don't get access to the dental care they need, it will become a huge cost to the state.

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"Dentists need support and a modern and up to date contract which reflects the service they provide," McGrath added.

Tanaisté Varadkar responded by acknowledging the issue, but said that negotiations are currently underway between the HSE and the Irish Dental Asssociation and said there is a 10 million euro budget been offered as part of the scheme.