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DENTAL TREATMENT FOR medical card holders is in complete chaos in Ireland, the profession’s industry body said.
Between 2017 and 2020, state spending on dental care for medical card patients nationwide decreased by 30%, from €5.5 million to €3.8 million.
Funding drops of up to 48% in certain areas have been recorded, while areas of Dublin account for six of the top 10 biggest drops in funding over three years.
The Irish Dental Association said an unprecedented number of dentists were withdrawing from the official treatment scheme.
Chief executive Fintan Hourihan said: “In 2020, almost one quarter of participating dentists nationwide left this scheme which is utterly unfit for purpose.
“Dentists simply cannot afford to participate, leading to complete chaos.”
He said dentists had sought to engage with the Department of Health to modify the Dental Treatment Services Scheme over many years to no avail.
“Increasingly, our members believe that the refusal to acknowledge this reality and the general approach of the Department of Health suggests a level of disrespect, if not contempt, for medical card patients and the dentists contracted to care for them.
“It also shows scant regard or understanding of the impact of this crisis on vulnerable patients who are unable to afford access to vital dental care.”
In 2019, then minister for health Simon Harris launched a new plan, “Smile agus Slainte”, aiming to transform the dental service from a “diagnose and treat” to one centred on prevention and available locally.
Under the government policy, all children up to 16 years would receive oral healthcare packages.
They would also be provided for medical card holders over 16 years.
The packages of care would be provided in a primary care setting by oral healthcare practitioners contracted by the HSE.
The Department of Health said the DTSS medical card scheme claims submitted by dentists had already returned to 90% of their pre-Covid level.
The numbers of dentists applying for new DTSS contracts is substantial and not reflected in IDA estimates, it said, adding that “they will contribute significantly to further services”.
A statement said it was supporting additional access to care for medical card holders under the DTSS scheme.
“The aim will be to improve access, reduce inequalities with other groups of patients and support preventive care.
“A fundamental and full DTSS review will take place in line with policy implementation but the department is cognisant of the need for interim measures before this full review to support practices and patients to help overcome Covid-19 impacts.
“The department appreciates the difficulties for the profession and medical card holders to provide and access care respectively throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The department at all times is conscious of the impact of Covid-19 for vulnerable patients.
“The dedication of the profession is appreciated throughout this difficult time.”
The DTSS budget is annually determined by the take up of patients and this varies according to the numbers eligible for medical cards, as well as other factors such as the Covid-19 pandemic.
The statement said: “Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic the main group of medical card patients that have reduced their attendance and take up of all dental care including DTSS care have been older patients.
“This trend is similar across all non-Covid primary care services where older people have reduced take up of health care and are reluctant to access any but the most essential of care throughout the pandemic; the dental medical card figures reflect this phenomenon across the population and this is reflected in an overall reduction in take up of care.
“However, dental provision of care has been less affected than other health areas.”
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That’s because there is less money to be thrown around.
The good times are gone and so with it is life’s little luxury, Charlie.
E’s are only a 5er each
I don’t buy the “less money around” explanation. There’s loads of profit in the importation / distribution chain – about 93% all told – and little evidence of constraints on supply. What should happen, in theory, is that the price falls to a market-clearing rate. Since that hasn’t happened, it suggests that lots of previous customers will no longer snort coke at any price. It would be interesting to know why, because that has major implications for health policy.
Cocaine use has been replaced not reduced however the NACDA fail to look into this. Legal highs, prescription drugs , ketamine etc
A good portion of that age group 18- 34 have moved to oz, Canada and the states.
It is due to less money when the boom was happening a study found that over 70% of money notes in Ireland had traces of coke thy even found coke in the toilets in the dail, drug use and habits change with the times now a days a drug that is abused is alcohol cause it is cheap and widely available
Yeah coz people cant afford it anymore, twas a celtic tiger drug. Coincidentally, discount stores have reported an increase in sales of glue and room odouriser.
Yet another drastic consequence of the great Credit Tiger Swindle….some poor gakkers have’nt even got big enough coins anymore to snort it off…..for shame!
Won’t somebody please think of the dealers.
Users are losers =D
Yes, I like my own comments ;-)
Somebody did a survey on this? Of course less ppl are using it, the Celtic Tiger is gone.. Along with half the builders who were regular users wit such money ( sweeping statement, not all builders) at their disposal.. What next, users having to snort wit €5 notes due to shortage of €50′s?
After reading that I’m dying for a line.
Try Ketamine, it’s a lot cheaper. Much more of a crunchy buzz but it does trick
I did a survey recently. It was called “the effects of derp”. After thousands of euros investment and research grants, the research team which was led by myself and Mr. Derp from derptec university, concluded that derp is a four letter made up word that spells derp. Groundbreaking research, much like this cocaine study. Future historians are going to be well impressed
This probably accounts for the mix up in the VAT take.
They forget to mention that because drugs are illegal the drug user is rarely honest towards authority given the fear of future persecution. A good example would be the dail bar which was found to have traces of ever drug under the sun.
Yet if you polled all 166 of them I garuntee all users would deny for fear of loosing their careers.
Until we decriminalise we will never know the true numbers of our drug consumption.
I’d say a mandatory piss test for the lot of them would do wonders in clearing the place out. I’m a cannabis advocate but I think cocaine is a disgusting substance.
For the lot of who? Clear what place out?
Cocaine is a disgusting substance but clamping down never hinders use.
Are they Irish not a hyper,talkative race of people without adding cocaine into the mix…
They forgot to mention the opposite trend of legal highs which are replacing much cocaine use along with replacing many ecstasy tablets as the cheap alternative.
Seems Ketamine is the new ‘designer’ drug these days…giddy up
Gav Ketamine??
just say neigh.
Twice as many men taking cocaine?
When you pay a hundred quid for a gram, you can bet your ass it’ll be on a rare occasion!!!
More of a bang off flower…..
Goes to show no one is untouched by the recession.
Nobody can afford it anymore that’s why!
New addiction : social media
Addiction : noun
the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.
Given the official definition you are right in some sense but wrong in others. We can cancel out the physically habit forming part anyway
There are so many grow houses in the country these days it’s becoming the Columbia of Europe. I suspect cocaine use has fallen because of the increase in so many entrepreneurs growing herbs.
Yes because Colombia is famous for grass …
Columbia, as in a prominent drug producing nation.
Do you even know what your on about?
The Columbia of Europe? We’re only playing catch up Helena – the Brits have been growing their own for decades, and half of Europe it’s legal to grow a few plants for yourself. Police forces elsewhere aren’t quite as focused on ensuring VAT and excise returns are maintained though, in those places actual police work not involving road tax checks occurs, so it doesn’t get as much publicity as here.
I didn’t realize that Silent majority, tell me…do you think its predominately criminal gangs behind it in Ireland or individuals trying to make a quick few quid?
Please do not engage Helena. She is quite obviously one of the dumb dumbs. Either that or a troll of moderate ability
The Columbia of Europe. Oh yes we have plenty of pablo escobars walking around growing herbs and selling to the entire world. Pull your head in love and stop talking sh#te
Derpy, the way news of grow houses is reported here it’s not surprising some people think it is so out of control. At any rate, Helena appears willing to be corrected and learn, for which I would have more respect than I would for someone who labels those less knowledgable as dumb and encourages others not to correct!
Helena, it’s a mixed bag. Some big warehouse operations have been linked back to Asian gangs. With the levels of demand industrial scale production is required and only really gangs can get in on the larger scale operations. But an awful lot is lads growing a few plants up the attic. You’ll actually find a lot of these don’t really make much from it, they just like growing, get their own for free, and cover their costs by sorting out a few mates.
Helena If you are genuinely interested in this subject pick up ‘the Irish war on drugs’ by Dr Paul O Mahoney.
Or simply talk to anyone from Portugal
Comparing growhouses to paramilitary cocaine plantations is a but on the dumb side. Alas, maybe when I start respecting the majority of humanity I will worry about it respecting me
Be great if we had a few escobars, we might have have a few decent soccer pitch
lol @ Derpy I suspect you are neither the measure of my intellect or the bench mark of my knowledge. Instead of behaving like a Neanderthal, why not run along and chew on some more paint chips. Better still, lick your favorite wall and stop making a clown of yourself x
@Silent Majority, admittedly I am neither a connoisseur of narcotics or at all knowledgeable in the subject. Thank you for the education sir ;)
@Gaz uhm ok?
Helena check out Students for sensible drug policy Ireland, NORML Ireland or The 41st Shade
I will
Doubt that Helena, it’s got to do with nobody being able to fork at least 100- 200 a week for
‘Columbia’ is a record label. ‘Colombia’ is a country. Although the former is an old-school name for the USA.
Ooops, gold star for you Chris :)
Drinking early, Helena?
Well done cuz article is great.
Whats a “cuz” I’m guessing it has to be a British or American phrase? It seems even our own colloquial terms are being erased more and more by the day
I heard before that it may be short for ‘cousin’ – don’t ask me to quote sources though …
Prime Time have something on the word “cuz” tonight.
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