The chief executive of the Irish Dental Association believes new measures to expand dental health care will only pause the exodus of dentists who are leaving the scheme to treat medical card holders.
The Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has approved new measures to carry out a root-and-branch review of the dental treatment services scheme for medical card holders.
Earlier this year, figures revealed that 52% of Kerry dentists had left the scheme.
Under the dental treatment services scheme, the State pays a fee to dentists for treating medical card holders.
Many dentists have left the scheme because they say it's not fit for purpose and because of costs.
Chief executive of the Irish Dental Association Fintan Hourihan says while he doesn’t think the review will reverse the number of Kerry dentists exiting the dental treatment services , this trend may be paused until the review is carried out.
In recent months, a significant number of private general dental practitioners resigned from the scheme, and dentists were only seeing existing medical card patients at their clinics.
Fintan Hourihan says the scheme is so flawed that it’s important it’s replaced with a new model.
He says patients are waiting longer to get an appointment with a dentist due to staff shortages.
Mr Hourihan believes a longer-term plan should include a workforce review as they are relying on dentists from overseas.
Fintain Hourihan outlines the shortage of dentists in rural areas including Kerry.
