Irish Dentists Call for the Return of State Dental Cover

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Dentists in Ireland are calling for the government to revoke the changes in the dental cover system to prevent dental patients from suffering from oral health diseases. Fintan Hourihan, the CEO of the Irish Dental Association, said that a number of dentists have reported a decline in oral health standards among patients since the budget cuts were introduced.

Dentists are preparing for the annual meeting of the Irish Dental Association, which is due to take place in Killarney over the next four days. Hourihan said that dentists are seeing more patients who require tooth extractions because they are going for long periods of time between dental check-ups to try and save money.

Hourihan said that the government must consider bringing back state cover to prevent a further decline in standards of oral health and save money in the long-term. Investing in preventative treatments and routine services will prevent a number of patients from requiring complex courses of treatment, which are much more expensive.

Speaking ahead of the annual conference, Fintan Hourihan said that the country had reached a point where the situation can only get worse and public health will continue to deteriorate. As a result of this, Hourihan, backed by the Irish Dental Association, called for urgent action to help patients who were covered by the medical card and PRSI schemes.

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