Medical card holders 'missing out on dental care' as dentists leave scheme

Under the existing scheme, adults with medical cards can get a dental exam, two fillings and extractions but dentists claim this is too limited. File picture: iStock

Medical card holders are missing out on dental care as dentists drop out of a State scheme they say is not fit for purpose, a Cork dentist has warned.

Under the existing scheme, adults with medical cards can get a dental exam, two fillings and extractions but dentists claim this is too limited. Dr John Barry at Beecher Street Dental in Mallow said quitting the scheme was not an easy decision.

“Dentists are very upset, none of us want to go out of the scheme,” he said, saying he is frequently asked by former patients when he will rejoin.

“I’d say a lot of them aren’t seeking treatment, they are probably not going for routine treatment I would feel.” 

He urged the Government to sit down with dental schools and the Irish Dental Association to establish a fairer scheme for patients and practitioners.

Another Cork practice, which did not wish to be identified, recently posted a notice in their waiting room.

It read: “From August 2022 we will no longer be providing dental treatment on the medical card to existing and/or new patients … we regret any inconvenience this causes.” 

Cork dental school

The exodus comes as construction of a new dental school in Cork is on hold, with no clear completion date, according to the recently-retired head of school. The new school was expected to open next summer in Curraheen. 

However the site is still a green field, and the school continues to share the Cork University Hospital campus, said Dr Christine McCreary.

“We are the only place where the HSE can get staff really,” she said, referring to UCC and Trinity College in Dublin.

“We definitely need a new dental school in Cork. 

There are a lot of problems with the building because of overcrowding. The equipment is failing because we didn’t buy it, thinking we were moving to a new building.

The university has applied for funding in this year’s budget as the projected cost is too high to be borne by it alone. She said the school relies on fees generated by international students, standing at €46,000 compared to €3,138 for Irish students.

“We are not funded sufficiently if we were to take on all Irish or EU students,” she said. “It’s approaching 50% at the minute. I know in this academic year coming, we were looking at 26 Irish school-leavers and 22 non-EU/ international students. That is slightly unusual.”