Dental costs too high in Jersey
A panel examining dental care in Jersey has concluded that the cost of dental treatment on the island is too high for residents.
The Health, Social Security and Housing Scrutiny panel found that dental treatment was too expensive for the average family on Jersey and provided a number of recommendations to make dental care more affordable for families on an average wage.
The panel, chaired by Debbie de Sousa, revealed that a larger proportion of people needed assistance when paying for dental treatment and the panel suggested introducing programmes to offer greater support to those on lower incomes.
The investigation found that a programme introduced to contribute towards dental care for young people has not been updated for 18 years; families involved in the scheme only receive £6 per month, which is clearly not enough to cover the costs of modern dental care. Other programmes were also found to be ineffective and out of date.
The panel also raised concerns about dental treatment for the elderly and made recommendations to provide better standards of care and greater provision for those who struggle to get out and about. The panel suggested improved training for residential carers and recommended the introduction of a scheme which provides elderly people with fluoridated toothpaste.
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