Three-year wait for dental visit

YOUNG children with special needs are being forced to wait up to three years to see a public dentist because of the HSE recruitment ban, according to the Irish Dental Association (IDA).

The association has made a pre-Budget submission to the Government urging the lifting of the ban on recruitment of public dental surgeons, in order to alleviate this crisis.

It also warned the Government not to accede to the proposal from the McCarthy Report to discontinue the PRSI scheme, under which workers receive financial support for dental treatments on foot of PRSI paid through salaries.

The IDA said that to dismantle the PRSI scheme would mean workers could no longer access benefits which they’ve already paid for through their taxes.

It also asked the Government to remove VAT from essential dental health products.