Nearly 1.8 million PRSI workers will from today have reduced access to the Dental Benefit Scheme.
The Department of Social and Family Affairs had become concerned that certain dentists were charging increased rates to people who are claiming dental benefit through their PRSI in breach of their contract with the department.
The department is no longer accepting claims from dentists who are charging the increased rates. It is estimated that out of the 720 dentists on the scheme, 650 will now be excluded from it.
But Ms Mary Coughlan, Minister for Social and Family Affairs has said she is fully committed to the Dental Benefit Scheme administered by her Department.
She will continue to fully honour contractual obligations under the scheme, and expressed her concern that customers were being inconvenienced. "Our customers' welfare is our priority and with this in mind we cannot continue to do business with dentists who continue to charge more than the contracted rates", she said.
Ms Coughlan added that she is willing to appoint an independent arbitrator to seek a solution to the dispute.
Fine Gael’s health spokeswoman, Ms Olivia Mitchell, said that a dental row - which leaves 1.5 million people without treatment that they have already paid for - is another astonishing example of Government incompetence.
"This problem has been looming since March, yet the Government has done nothing to try and avert the situation. PRSI workers have paid up front for this treatment and should not be deprived of it because of Government bungling," she said.
The Irish Dental Association has sought an increase in fees, paid to dentists under the scheme, since last year.
It says that under the scheme, the Department stipulates the total fee for many common procedures, such as fillings. This arrangement followed negotiations with the Association. In these cases the Department pays 70 per cent of the fee and the patient pays 30 per cent. Dentists argue, however, that the Department contribution is too small in the first place.
For example, the Department pays €26.54 for a simple filling and the patient pays €13.08, a total of €39.62. The Irish Dental Association says the economic cost of a filling is €60 to €80.
The Association has offered to meet the Department of Social and Family Affairs over the dispute which has seen patients paying substantially more for fillings and other treatments. However, it has told the Department that it will not withdraw its industrial action in the dispute, which centres on the amount the State pays towards the cost of treatments.
In 2001, 1.78 million PRSI workers and their partners were covered by the Dental Benefit Scheme and in the same period about 463,000 availed of the scheme at a cost of €44 million.
People wishing to get information on dentists in their area who continuing to operate the dental benefit scheme, should contact the Department at 1890-400400 ext 4480.