Free Dental Care

The Dental Treatment Benefit Scheme
Almost two million people in Ireland are entitled to free dental care in the form of an annual checkup, yet the vast majority of Irish people are not making use of it. Out of the two million people entitled to a free annual dental exam less than 15% made use of it in 2013. More than half of the two million were not even aware that they were entitled. Experts in dental care suggest this is because the Dental Treatment Benefit Scheme has never been properly advertised.

One suggestion put forward by the Irish Dental Association (IDA) was for the Revenue Commissioner to include a dental voucher with P60 forms given to each and every taxpayer by their employer. This could offer a cheap and effective way of getting the message out there to the people who could benefit.

The Dental Treatment Benefit Scheme has been in operation since the 1950s. In the past, taxpayers were entitled to a range of free treatments such as x-rays, dentures, root canals etc, but since the 2010 budget this has been cut back to just an annual checkup.

Are you entitled?
If you would like to know if you’re entitled to a free annual dental checkup, contact your local Smiles Dental clinic and have your PPS number handy, they’ll let you know.

Check out our other blogs on Good Oral Health made easy and Dental Implants.



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