Skip to main content

Table 3 An overview of publicily funded oral healthcare in Ireland in 2021

From: 'Toothless’—the absence of political priority for oral health: a case study of Ireland 1994–2021

Dental scheme

Patient group covered

Type of oral health care covered

Public Dental Service

Children (0–16 years)

 There are 1.07 m children under age 16 in Ireland

 22% of population

Some adult populations with special needs

‘Emergency’ dental care only

Comprehensive treatment entailing preventive and restorative care (including orthodontic treatment under strict qualification criteria)

Two age groups only (ages 7–8 and ages 11–12)

Eligibility does not equate to accessibility

Service provision varies across the country

Patients are targeted by age not clinical risk

Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS)

Category I Medical Card holders

Eligibility for a Medical Card is generally based on an income means test

Covers 32% of the population

24% of eligible persons utilised scheme in 2019

One oral exam per annum, two fillings per annum and unlimited dental extractions

Prior approval can be sought from a local HSE health manager for additional treatment including:

More than 2 fillings, full or partial dentures, anterior root canals and for certain high risk groups, periodontal care

Dental Treatment Benefit Scheme (DTBS)

Social insurance contributors for three years (PRSI)

Up to 2.2 m contributors insured in 2018 at a cost of €50 m

In 2018 1.25 million claims were approved

Oral examination and one scale and polish (to the value of €42) annually

  1. As of April 2021, there were 3320 registered Dentists in Ireland of which an estimated 2000 are actively practising with 316 salaried dentists directly employed by the HSE in the Public Dental Service