Medical cardholders are entitled to a free dental exam each calendar year, as well as any extractions that are required. First-stage endodontic treatment (endodontics) is also available each year for teeth in the front of the mouth. Two fillings are free in each calendar year. Adults (16 and older) who have a valid medical card can access a variety of dental services and treatments under the Dental Treatment Service Plan.
All holders of medical cards are entitled to specific dental treatments for example,. If you have a medical condition not listed above, but your dentist believes it would entitle you to additional dental treatments, the dentist can request it through your local dental office. The decision to approve is made on a case-by-case basis. At the end of treatment, the dentist will ask you to sign a form certifying that you have received the treatment listed on the form and that you are willing to assist an HSE dentist to examine you if requested.
The dental treatments available on the medical card may change from time to time. A clinical dental technician (CDT) is authorized to perform work on persons 18 years of age or older, provided that such dental work does not include any work on natural teeth or on living tissue. CDTs should refer patients to a dentist for treatment that is outside their scope of practice or if there is a concern about the patient's oral health. CDTs can also treat eligible patients with medical cards under the Dental Treatment Services Plan, if they have a contract with the HSE to do so.
CDTs can provide treatment items B5 (dentures and rebases) and A8 (denture repairs and additions) from the DTSS Treatment Program. Learn more about this service, including opening hours. Plan provides free dental care to health card holders 16 and older. These services are provided by independent dentists who have a contract with the HSE.
The Dental Treatment Services Plan (DTSS) provides access to dental treatment for health card holders for adults 16 and older. The Dental Treatment Services Plan (DTSS) provides free dental care to health card holders 16 and older. HSE manages dental plan for medical card holders. This plan is available to medical card holders 16 and older.
These dentists also operate the School Dentistry Program, where children from national schools and children with special needs are evaluated in select classes. No government or accredited scientific, medical or dental body anywhere in the world accepts, on the basis of any published evidence, that dental amalgam is a health hazard. While it's always best to contact your treating dentist in the first instance, you may want to use the Dental Complaint Resolution Service. It has also confirmed its commitment to a review of the dental treatment service scheme (DTSS), in order to ensure its future viability.
Additional treatments, such as teeth cleaning, are available to those with specific medical conditions, and again, your dentist will be able to inform you of your rights if this is the case. The Dental Treatment Benefit Plan is available to insured workers and retirees who have the required number of PRSI contributions. There are approximately 2,000 dentists practicing in Ireland, in Private Practice, the HSE Dental Service, the Army and Hospitals. It's also best to avoid taking dental x-rays, if possible, during pregnancy, but experts agree that x-rays can be taken, when needed, in an emergency.
You can get a list of dentists who treat medical card holders at the local Health Center, Citizen Information Center, or Library. The HSE can contact patients and ask them to complete a questionnaire or attend an independent dental exam. In response to the announcement, the Irish Dental Association said that while any investment in the plan is long overdue, the announced changes will do little to address the fundamental issues that have forced dentists to withdraw from the plan en masse. Being pregnant won't prevent dental treatment, but most dentists prefer to postpone any elective procedures (procedures that aren't absolutely necessary) until after the pregnancy ends.
This view is supported by the International Dental Federation, the International Association for Dental Research, the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and many dental associations, including American, British and Canadian. Dental research is ongoing in a wide variety of areas, including filling materials, in a quest to provide the most up-to-date and safe treatments for the general public. . .
