WHY SHOULD YOU HAVE AN ANNUAL EXAM?

In 2000, three-quarters of dentists surveyed in New York were recommending six monthly check-ups. Here are White Smile we can provide your free annual check up, the most completive scale and clean in Ireland, and so much more. In our clinic we pride ourselves on having Irish certified professionals.

• 8 out of 10 Irish adults entitled to free annual dental exam
• But new figures show that of the 3.3 million people covered, less than 20% have availed of offer
• Funding for PRSI scheme falls 87% in 3 years
• IDA says suggestion of raising PRSI rates ‘beggars relief’

Although 3.3 million Irish adults are entitled to a free oral examination once a year, fewer than 600,000 of them availed of the offer in 2011 according to new figures from the Irish Dental Association.

While there have been substantial increases in the numbers eligible for free examinations the figures show less and less people are availing of them. At the same time, expenditure on both the Medical Card Scheme and the PRSI Dental Scheme have declined rapidly.

The Chief Executive of the Irish Dental Association Fintan Hourihan described the figures as shocking and said recent suggestions by the Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton that PRSI contributions should be increased ‘beggared belief’.

“Given the Minister’s title one would have thought she would be doing everything possible to make sure people on Medical Cards and those paying PRSI would be receiving their full benefit. As it is people paying PRSI are already being short changed. How could a Government Minister countenance increasing it when they have failed to deliver on all their pre-election promises pertaining to dental health. Namely reversing cuts to the Medical Card Scheme, reviewing the PRSI scheme and appointing a Chief Dental Officer” Hourihan said.

While the number of medical card holders eligible for free exams rose by almost 17% or 200,000 between 2009 and 2011 the number of examinations only increased by 4.6%. Total expenditure on the medical card scheme fell from €87m in 2009 to €51m in 2011, a fall of 41%.

The number of people eligible for the PRSI scheme was 2 million in 2011. The number of examinations declined from almost 400,000 in 2008 to 272,000 in 2011 a fall of 31%. At the same time total expenditure on the scheme fell from €69 million in 2008 to €9m in 2011. A fall of 87%.