Dental Services
Seanad Éireann — 2025-10-14
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Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (FF), Carlow-Kilkenny

I also welcome Rodion and his family. We are delighted to have them here.
I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. I thank the Senator for the opportunity to address the issue of accessibility and dental services for people with disabilities. The national oral health policy has two key goals, namely, to provide the supports to enable every individual to achieve their personal best oral health and to reduce oral health inequalities across the population by enabling vulnerable patients to access oral healthcare and improve their oral health.
The Government has invested over €230 million annually in the provision of oral health, including an additional €15 million in reoccurring funding since 2019-20, to support progress on the national oral health policy. The dental treatment service scheme provides a range of care, free of charge, to medical card holders aged 16 and over. More complex care, as well as a broader range of treatments for patients with additional needs and high-risk patients, are available, subject to the approval of the local HSE principal dental surgeon.
Last year, the HSE oral healthcare service provided dental care to over 150,000 adults and children. This includes almost 50,000 emergency appointments to eligible patients, either on a same-day or next-day basis. It also includes those with additional needs who cannot receive care in a general dental practice. The HSE provides these patients with an oral health examination and, where necessary, their treatment is provided using additional supports.
The HSE has invested in additional equipment, including wheelchair tilts, which enhance the accessibility of dental surgeries for wheelchair users who cannot self-transfer to a dental chair.
There are currently 12 wheelchair tilts in place nationally, with a further five being considered as part of dental location developments. There is a further range of patients who are wheelchair users who are unable to attend routine dental treatment due to comorbidities. These patients can be supported to access treatment under sedation or general anaesthesia.
Through the implementation of the national oral health policy, Smile agus Sláinte, the Government has committed to reforming oral healthcare services for people with disabilities. I know this is a priority and I understand that there are challenges that we definitely need to address. The Senator mentioned the Irish Wheelchair Association. The work that it does around the country is exceptional.
Oral health services will be prevention-focused and will be tailored to each age group across the life course, from birth to old age. Patients with additional needs will be supported to mainstream to a local general dental practice of their choosing, while the HSE oral healthcare service will reorient to provide care for those who cannot receive the entirety of their care in a general dental practice. The HSE will also develop the necessary models of care, clinical guidelines and care pathways to support the provision of these services. In budget 2025, a further €2 million was invested. The overall amount will increase to €4 million in 2026, which includes a commitment to provide an additional 15 HSE staff to deliver oral healthcare services, on top of continued efforts to address current vacancies.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2025-10-14/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:13+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-10-14