HSE Cuts Cause Hardship To Dental Patients
At the end of April 2010, the Irish Health Service Executive (HSE) gave strict instructions to dentists participating in the Medical Card Scheme, that treatments such as fillings and root canals could only be carried out in “emergency circumstances”. Procedures for treating gum disease were also suspended, except in specific cases.
Following on from this, the Irish Dental Association (IDA) has now told a Dáil Committee that these HSE’s instructions are causing hardship to more than 1.5 million dental patients throughout Ireland. Fintan Hourihan, the Chief Executive of the IDA, said “Poor oral health and failure to treat leads to the development of more complicated problems, the treatment of which is generally more complex and more costly. So the slash and burn approach applied by the HSE to the Medical Card Scheme makes no financial sense as well as being an indictment of our care for the less well off in society.”
In its submission to the Committee, the IDA pointed out that treatment has been denied to cancer patients, special needs patients, to elderly patients, to patients requiring dental checks ahead of major surgical operations, to patients with acute infections and to many others who dentists would believe to fall into high risk circumstances.
The IDA is therefore calling on the HSE to reverse their decision and suspend their instructions with immediate effect. In the meantime, Medical Card holders requiring urgent treatment have little choice but to go private. As a knock-on effect, more Irish patients than before are leaving the country to get substantially cheaper dental treatment abroad.
Heike O’Sullivan of Irish dental agency Ultimate Dental Travel agrees, “Since the HSE has excluded the most basic dental treatments such as crowns from their Medical Card Scheme, we have been inundated with phone calls from people who simply cannot afford to pay high Irish prices for their treatment. Being referred to Budapest by our company is of particular attraction and interest to those patients who require substantial dental work, because one of our partner clinics offers free direct flights and accommodation for patients spending more than € 3,000 on their treatment. This special offer makes travelling abroad for treatment a no-brainer, because in addition to saving money on their treatment, patients doesn’t even have to pay for their travel costs.”
Following on from this, the Irish Dental Association (IDA) has now told a Dáil Committee that these HSE’s instructions are causing hardship to more than 1.5 million dental patients throughout Ireland. Fintan Hourihan, the Chief Executive of the IDA, said “Poor oral health and failure to treat leads to the development of more complicated problems, the treatment of which is generally more complex and more costly. So the slash and burn approach applied by the HSE to the Medical Card Scheme makes no financial sense as well as being an indictment of our care for the less well off in society.”
In its submission to the Committee, the IDA pointed out that treatment has been denied to cancer patients, special needs patients, to elderly patients, to patients requiring dental checks ahead of major surgical operations, to patients with acute infections and to many others who dentists would believe to fall into high risk circumstances.
The IDA is therefore calling on the HSE to reverse their decision and suspend their instructions with immediate effect. In the meantime, Medical Card holders requiring urgent treatment have little choice but to go private. As a knock-on effect, more Irish patients than before are leaving the country to get substantially cheaper dental treatment abroad.
Heike O’Sullivan of Irish dental agency Ultimate Dental Travel agrees, “Since the HSE has excluded the most basic dental treatments such as crowns from their Medical Card Scheme, we have been inundated with phone calls from people who simply cannot afford to pay high Irish prices for their treatment. Being referred to Budapest by our company is of particular attraction and interest to those patients who require substantial dental work, because one of our partner clinics offers free direct flights and accommodation for patients spending more than € 3,000 on their treatment. This special offer makes travelling abroad for treatment a no-brainer, because in addition to saving money on their treatment, patients doesn’t even have to pay for their travel costs.”
Other News
| News Item | Date |
| HSE Cuts Cause Hardship To Dental Patients | 16/07/2010 |
| Special needs, special care | 6/07/2010 |
| Soft drinks can harm teeth | 24/05/2010 |
| Medical Card Holders to suffer more Extractions | 24/03/2010 |
| Irish Dental Fees Increase | 24/02/2010 |
| Dental tourism survey results | 24/02/2010 |
| Healthy Teeth, Healthy Body - Part 3 | 21/12/2009 |
| Healthy Teeth, Healthy Body - Part 2 | 24/11/2009 |
| Healthy Teeth, Healthy Body - Part 1 | 24/10/2009 |