Medical card holders suffering as a result of ‘dental apartheid’

“The HSE has effectively overseen the introduction of dental apartheid for the 37% of the population who have a medical card,” said Fintan Hourihan, chief executive of the Irish Dental Association.

The IDA commissioned a study which found, since 2009, surgical extractions increased by 53% and routine extractions by 14%.

Over the same period, fillings fell by over a third.