Dental patients are ‘cheated’
As a result of the failure of the Minister for Social and Family Affairs to negotiate a resolution to a nine months old dispute with family dentists (arising from a two and a half year old claim), these 1.7 million insured workers (including the undersigned) are deprived of dental treatment benefit from a family dentist of their choice.
If a commercial firm forcibly collected premium and subsequently refused the insured access to the benefit, no doubt both government and the trade unions would have something to say.
The Irish Dental Association's dispute with government has nothing to do with the right of those paying insurance premium to benefit if not from dental treatment, then from a refund from the Department.
Donal St A Atkins,
Secretary General,
Irish Dental Association,
10, Richview Office Park,
Clonskeagh Road,
Dublin 14.
