Irish Dental Association - Press Statements


20/01/12	HSE SPENDS 11.5m Euro LESS ON DENTAL CARE FOR MEDICAL CARD PATIENTS IN 2011 THAN PROMISED
	New figures show that the Health Service Executive spent 11.5m Euro less on dental care for medical card patients in 2011 than it had promised.

17/01/12	IRELAND'S SENSITIVE DENTIST OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCED
	Irish dental patients across the country have come forward in their hundreds to lend their support to the good work of their local dentist. The Sensitive Dentist Awards invite people to nominate their dentist if they believe they have gone above and beyond normal patient care.

05/12/11	HSE CUTTING SPENDING AS NUMBER OF MEDICAL CARD HOLDERS INCREASES BY HALF A MILLION.
	The Irish Dental Association has said that a 2% reduction in HSE spending at a time when the number of medical card holders has increased by 500,000 will mean thousands of card holders will now be denied proper dental care.

05/12/11	Shauna is 16 and needs some fillings. But HSE cuts mean it will only pay to have 14 of her teeth extracted instead
	A TEENAGE girl faces having 14 teeth needlessly extracted because drastic cutbacks forbid dentists from giving her fillings, the Irish Independent has learned.

14/11/11	DENTISTS REITERATE CALL FOR PUBLIC HEALTH WARNINGS ON SOFT DRINKS
	The Irish Dental Association has warned that a diet high in sugary, energy-dense foods has serious implications not alone for dental health but can also lead to chronic health problems such as heart disease and diabetes.

09/11/11	DENTISTS SAY ANY REVENUE FROM 'SUGAR TAX' SHOULD GO TO DENTAL CARE
	Dramatic collapse in treatments for Medical Card Patients - Fillings down 63%, Extractions down 30%

13/10/11	CHILDREN'S DENTAL HEALTH LIKENED TO POSTCODE LOTTERY
	The provision of dental services for Irish children and special needs patients has been likened to a postcode lottery, with the standard of care and services across the country varying greatly depending on where one lives.

26/09/11	IRISH DENTAL ASSOCIATION WELCOMES REGULATION OF TOOTH WHITENING
	EU Directive protects consumers by banning dangerous products Procedure has to be carried out by dentists

23/09/11	10,000 Patients See Dentist During Mouth Cancer Awareness Day
	Initial estimates suggest that as many as 10,000 patients attended their dentist or visited the dental hospital during this week's mouth cancer awareness day.

21/09/11	DRINKERS AND SMOKERS 30 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP MOUTH CANCER
	Survivors and mouth cancer experts are urging members of the public to avail of free mouth cancer examinations which are being offered today as part of an initiative to mark Mouth Cancer Awareness Day.

14/09/11	FREE MOUTH CANCER EXAMINATIONS AT 700 DENTAL SURGERIES NATIONWIDE
	Free mouth cancer examinations will be available to members of the public at over 700 participating dental surgeries countrywide and at the Cork and Dublin Dental University Hospitals on Mouth Cancer Awareness Day, Wednesday 21st September 2011.

09/08/11	Dentists Warn of Danger of Tooth Whitening Products
	Minister for Health urged to support European Commission plans for proper regulation of sector

13/06/11	You can QUIT, and we can help
	The Irish Dental Association joins the QUIT campaign

14/05/11	NEW IDA PRESIDENT HIGHLIGHTS GROWING DANGER OF MOUTH CANCER
	The new President of the Irish Dental Association has said raising awareness of the dangers of mouth cancers amongst the general public will be one of his main priorities during his term of office.

12/05/11	New figures reveal massive decline in dental treatments provided to medical card patients
	The Irish Dental Association has described the decline in dental treatments being provided under the Medical Card Scheme (DTSS) as alarming.

13/04/11	DENTISTS' KEY ROLE IN DETECTING ORAL CANCER HIGHLIGHTED
	Dentists' leader highlights crucial role of dentists in detecting oral cancer in letter published in today's Irish Times.

11/04/11	DENTISTS WELCOME DECISION ON FEE DISPLAY
	The Irish Dental Association welcomes the new Code of Practice from the Dental Council relating to the display of professional fees.

28/03/11	NEW GOVERNMENT MUST DELIVER ON DENTAL HEALTH
	Irish Dental Association calls on new Ministers in the Department of Health to deliver on election promises

16/03/11	Professions concerned about risks posed by new EU Qualifications Directive
	European sectoral professions concerned about the risks posed to patients and consumers by the modernisation of the Directive on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications (2005/36/EC)

01/03/11	View edited highlights of our recent Election Healthcare Hustings
	Visit our Facebook site - click on the Facebook icon on the top right of this homepage - to view highlights of the recent hustings where health representatives from the five main political parties were invited to set out their views on dental concerns. Dental leaders Dr Conor McAlister and Dr Michael Crowe also contributed.

20/02/11	Dentists leader warns population cannot have good general health without good oral health
	What we want and badly need is a proper allocation of funding for dental health in Ireland and proper consultation about how this money can be best spent. It is high time that dental health in this country was given a fair crack of the whip.

17/02/11	Dentists call on political parties to commit to reverse draconian cuts to dental services
	The Irish Dental Association has called on the Health Spokespeople for all the political parties to commit to reverse the draconian cuts to dental services made in recent months.

14/02/11	IDA Launches Election 2011 Manifesto - New Government Must Prioritise Dental Health
	Cutbacks in Dental Health Services are having a devastating impact on patients and costing the State more in long-run according to the IDA which today published its Dental Health Manifesto.

11/01/11	Dentists issue timely top tip guide for better dental health
	The Irish Dental Association is urging Irish people to put dental health at the top of their New Year resolution list.

22/12/10	Dentists Warn that Stress Caused by Financial Worries leading to Increased Levels of Teeth Grinding
	Dentists believe increased levels of teeth grinding are due to stress brought on by financial worries.

12/12/10	Dental Council publishes new guidance documents and decisions
	The Dental Council has recently approved a series of new guidance documents and decisions which we wish to bring to your attention.

10/12/10	Dental Council publishes guidance for patients to assist them in choosing a dentist, whether at home or abroad.
	The guidance includes information for patients who may be considering travelling abroad for treatment and highlights certain matters that should be considered in advance.

08/12/10	Dentists brand Budget Cuts to Dental Health as 'cynical, inexcusable and disgraceful'
	350,000 more medical card holders in 2011. The Government decides to maintain spending on the medical card scheme at 2008 levels.

30/11/10	EUROPEAN DENTISTS SAY 'NEIN' TO DENTAL TOURISM
	The group which represents over 320,000 dentists throughout Europe has warned of the dangers of dental tourism.

29/11/10	IDA Presses for Gradual Restoration of PRSI Benefits
	The IDA met with officials from the Department of Social Protection to press for restoration of dental benefits as patients feel the effect of the savage cutbacks introduced in last year's Budget.

02/11/10	700,000 LESS DENTAL TREATMENTS CARRIED OUT AS PRSI CUTBACKS HIT HOME
	New survey shows almost half of dental practices have shed staff while two-thirds have reduced hours

07/10/10	Minister Must Evaluate Impact of Cuts to Dental Schemes
	The Irish Dental Association has called on the Minister for Health Mary Harney to carry out an immediate evaluation of the effects of the wide ranging cutbacks to the two main dental treatment schemes, the PRSI and Medical Card schemes.

02/10/10	Queues for treatment inevitable unless Government reverses savage cuts to dental schemes
	In a letter to the Editor of the Irish Times, Fintan Hourihan, chief executive of the Irish Dental Association, argues that queues for treatment will become the norm unless dental cuts are reversed.

16/09/10	DENTISTS URGE ALL GAELIC FOOTBALLERS TO WEAR GUMSHIELDS
	ONE THIRD OF ALL ADULT DENTAL INJURIES ARE SPORTS RELATED

03/09/10	COLGATE ORAL HEALTH MONTH 2010
	COLGATE OFFERS DENTAL CHECK UP REFUNDS THROUGHOUT COLGATE ORAL HEALTH MONTH 2010

24/08/10	DENTAL PATIENTS URGED NOT TO NEGLECT THEIR DENTAL HEALTH
	IDA SAYS HSE CUTS DISSUADING PATIENTS FROM SEEKING TREATMENT

28/07/10	IDA LAUNCHES CPD TRAINING TOOL FOR DENTISTS
	The Irish Dental Association has launched an online continuing professional development (CPD) tool for dentists.

13/07/10	DENTISTS TELL OIREACHTAS THAT HSE CUTS HAVE CAUSED CHAOS & HARDSHIP TO DENTAL PATIENTS
	The Irish Dental Association has told a Dail Committee that the HSE's attack on the Medical Card Scheme has caused chaos, confusion and hardship to 1.6m dental patients all over the country.

09/07/10	IRISH DENTAL ASSOCIATION WELCOMES SUPREME COURT RULING
	The Irish Dental Association has warmly welcomed the decision by the Supreme Court today to restore the High Court injunction restraining the HSE from unilaterally varying its contract with two dentists under the medical card dental scheme.

16/06/10	IRISH DENTAL ASSOCIATION WELCOMES HIGH COURT RULING
	The Irish Dental Association has warmly welcomed the decision by the High Court to grant an injunction restraining the HSE from unilaterally varying its contract with two dentists under the medical card dental scheme.

28/05/10	NEW STUDY MEASURES LINK BETWEEN POOR DENTAL HYGIENE AND INCREASED RISK OF HEART DISEASE
	A new study which establishes a clear link between poor dental hygiene and an increased risk of heart disease proves the folly of the government's decision to dismantle the medical card and PRSI dental schemes, according to the Irish Dental Association.

17/05/10	Dentists warns that progress of recent years will be overturned if destruction of medical card scheme allowed to proceed
	Dentists have claimed that HSE cutbacks to the Medical Card and PRSI schemes are going to wipe out significant improvements which have been made in oral health in Ireland over the past 30 years.

14/05/10	Dentists Call for Public Health Warning Labels on Soft Drinks and Snack Foods
	Dentists have called on the Minister for Health and Children to introduce 'public health warning' labels for carbonated soft drinks.

13/05/10	Survey Confirms Competition in Fees Charged by Dentists
	The latest report from the National Consumer Agency shows significant variations in the prices charged by dentists and confirms that there is real competition in Ireland.

12/05/10	New Survey Shows 6,000 Patients Per Annum Receive Corrective Treatment Following Dental Work Abroad
	A new survey by the Irish Dental Association indicates that in the past twelve months 6,000 people who travelled abroad for dental treatment have had to receive corrective treatment on their return to Ireland.

29/04/10	Dentists Denounce Break up of Medical Card Scheme
	The Irish Dental Association has denounced the decision by the HSE to dismantle the Medical Card Dental Scheme and to reduce it to one which only provides limited emergency cover for card holders.

18/04/10	New survey shows fewer people visiting dentists
	Two thirds of dentists say the number of patients they are treating has declined over the past year. The decline in the number of patients comes as nearly half of the dentists surveyed said they had reduced their fees for the most common treatment items such as examinations, fillings, extractions etc.

16/03/10	IDA makes submission on medical cards fiasco
	The IDA has made a submission to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children regarding the centralisation of medical card applications.

02/03/10	Dental Care Pregnancy Alert
	Health concerns after bacteria present in mother's mouth found in stillborn baby (Irish Times, Tuesday, March 2nd 2010)

22/02/10	GSK highlights health risk with use of its zinc-containing denture adhesives
	GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has issued advice warning consumers about a potential health risk associated with long-term, excessive use of its zinc-containing denture adhesives Poligrip Ultra and Poligrip Total Care.

15/02/10	CSO Confirms Removal of PRSI Benefit Sole Cause of Rise in Dental Charges
	The Central Statistics Office [CSO] has confirmed that the rise of 12.8% in dental charges reported in January's CPI figures arose entirely as a result of the Government's removal of PRSI benefits from dental treatments.

17/01/10	Meeting votes No Confidence in Government following over Euro110 million in cuts in supports for dental treatments.
	Over 400 dentists from across the country met at a special meeting in Dublin today called to discuss the growing crisis for dental health care.

10/12/09	Dentists respond with shock and alarm to Budget cuts
	The Irish Dental Association has warned that the Budget had effectively killed off the PRSI scheme for dental benefits for people at work despite the fact that millions of people have been paying the State every week for this 'insurance' for years.

09/12/09	Budget Slashes Spending on Dental Care
	The main features of the Budget for 2010 as announced today and of direct significance for dentists are set out below.

07/12/09	New IDA Update Available to Download
	The latest twelve-page edition of the IDA Update - featuring practice management advice and new services and benefits available exclusively to IDA members - is available to download in the members' section of the site.

03/12/09	Advice for dentists seeking swine flu vaccination
	The HSE and the Department of Health and Children have issued advice for dentists who wish to be vaccinated against the swine flu virus. To download the guidance document please visit our swine flu section or click on the icon further down our homepage.

24/11/09	New study finds operating costs for dentists in the Republic over 100,000 euro greater than in Northern Ireland.
	A study on the economics of dentistry which is due to be published shortly will show that operating costs for principal dentists in family practices in the Republic exceed those of their counterparts in Northern Ireland by over 102,000 euro a year.

19/11/09	Advice re National Public Sector Strike 24th November 2009
	Advice for PDS Members in relation to the National Public Sector Strike due to take place on 24th November 2009 is now available in the PDS Group Section of the IDA Members section.

06/11/09	IDA Pre-Budget Submission Presented to Government
	Young children with Special Needs are being forced to wait up to 3 years to see a HSE Dentist because of the recruitment ban in the HSE according to the Irish Dental Association [IDA]. The Association has made a pre Budget submission to the Government which urges the lifting of the HSE moratorium on recruitment of Public Dental Surgeons in order to alleviate this crisis.

28/09/09	Dentists welcome TNS / MRBI survey rejecting cuts in social welfare.
	The Irish Dental Association [IDA] has welcomed the findings of today's Irish Times Opinion Poll showing public rejection of cuts in Social Welfare payments.

17/09/09	Dentists meet Minister for Social Welfare to urge retention of Dental Treatment Benefit Scheme
	The Irish Dental Association has warned that the proposal by An Bord Snip to abolish the Dental Treatment Benefit Scheme [DTBS] could end up costing the Exchequer twice as much as it would cost to keep it in place.

28/08/09	3 out of every 4 Irish dentists treating patients for problems arising from treatment abroad
	A major new survey has found that over the past 12 months, 76% of Irish dentists in private practice [more than 3 out of 4] have had to treat patients for problems linked to the dental treatment they received abroad.

19/08/09	Dentists launch poster campaign in 1,000 surgeries against An Bord Snip cuts
	The Irish Dental Association [IDA] has launched a poster campaign in 1,000 dentist's surgeries to protest at the proposal made in the recent An Bord Snip report [McCarthy Report] to abolish the Dental Treatment Benefit Scheme [DTBS].

29/07/09	Swine Flu - Guidance for Dentists
	As we still await official advice to dentists in regard to swine flu, more than two months after it was declared as a pandemic, the Association has posted on its website guidance prepared in the US for dentists.

16/07/09	Dentists Shocked at Report's Attack on Dental Services
	Dentists are shocked at the scale of changes contained in the report of An Bord Snip Nua and have warned that while the Association is prepared to discuss reforms it will not allow the unilateral destruction of dental services.

16/07/09	Briefing for IDA members re Bord Snip recommendations
	The Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes was published today and has made a number of recommendations relating to dentists. A briefing for IDA members is available on the hompeage of our member's section.

08/07/09	IDA outlines wide range of desirable changes in health financing submission
	Dentists are supportive of incentives being built into their contracts which would be aligned with agreed goals for the public healthcare system.This call is made in a submission delivered by the IDA to the Department of Health and Children on Resource Allocation and Financing in the Health Sector.

11/06/09	IDA To Establish Quality and Patient Safety Committee
	The Council of the Irish Dental Association has decided to establish a Standing Committee to examine quality and patient safety issues affecting dentists and their patients.

27/05/09	HIQA publishes standards to combat Healthcare Associated Infections
	The Health Information and Quality Authority has today published new standards to combat the spread of Healthcare Associated Infections.

24/05/09	IDA Members Update - HSE Moratorium and Cutbacks
	Members are advised that a new HSE circular (HSE HR circular 15/2009) has been issued covering the moratorium on employment of staff by the HSE, promotions, payment of acting up allowances, provisions relating to renewal of temporary contracts, redeployment of staff and many other critical staffing issues.

01/05/09	IDA Members Update re HSE Cutbacks / Moratorium
	Talks are continuing between HSE management and unions on recruitment and staffing issues after the unions rejected as completely unacceptable a draft circular (HR circular 13/2009) detailing drastic cutbacks in the appointment and replacement of staff.

01/05/09	Fees Decision Will Lead to Further Delays for Medical Card Patients
	The Irish Dental Association [IDA] has expressed disappointment at the announcement of cuts in fees to be paid to dentists treating medical card patients [DTSS Scheme].

28/04/09	Medical Card Patients facing crisis in dental care; IDA Chief Executive urges support for trade union status for Association.
	The sharp fall in the number of dentists participating in the Dental Treatment Services Scheme [DTSS] has resulted in a crisis in community care of dental patients with medical cards, the Chief Executive of the Irish Dental Association [IDA], Fintan Hourihan, has stated.

27/04/09	Dentists urge Government to ensure elderly losing medical cards don't lose out on essential dental care!
	Dentists have called on the Government to ensure that over 70s get entitlement to essential dental treatment including dentures whether or not they have a medical card.

27/04/09	Annual Conference of the IDA hears details of the high incidence of tooth decay amongst young children in Ireland
	The Annual Conference of the Irish Dental Association has today heard details of the high incidence of tooth decay amongst young children in Ireland.

27/04/09	IDA AGM: Incoming President warns of growing funding crisis in profession.
	The Incoming President of the Irish Dental Association [IDA] will today [Thursday) warn that the profession is facing an unprecedented funding crisis.

08/04/09	Dentists warn of devastating impact on services for children and special needs patients arising from HSE recruitment ban
	The recruitment embargo announced by the HSE for public dentists and others in the public health service will have devastating effects on dental services provided for children and special needs patients.

08/04/09	IDA Seeks to Appoint Employment / Communications Officer
	The Irish Dental Association is seeking to appoint an Employment / Communications Officer.

18/02/09	Government Publishes Bill to Reduce Professional Fees and Impose Levy on Public Servants
	The Government has today published a Bill which is intended to enable the Minister for Health to decide on the reduction of fees to health professionals, including dentists.

16/02/09	In the Dentists Chair - the challenges facing Irish dentists
	An article by IDA CEO, Mr Fintan Hourihan, outlining the challenges facing dentists as published in the IHCA publication The Consultant.

13/02/09	IDA Disputes Claims on Dental Fees
	Letter for publication sent to Irish Times following publication of article on patients travelling for dental treatment to Northern Ireland.

04/02/09	Briefing re Government Cutbacks
	A detailed briefing on the implications of the Cutbacks Programme announced yesterday by the Government is available in the members' area of the site.

29/01/09	IDA Dentists Submission to Oireachtas Committee
	Opening presentation by Fintan Hourihan, IDA Chief Executive, to Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children Review of Primary Care

18/12/08	Collapse of Medical Card Scheme Requires Urgent Government Response
	Urgent action is required by the Government to address the virtual collapse of the medical card scheme.

15/12/08	IDA Makes Submission to Oireachtas Review of Primary Care
	The IDA has made a submission to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children which is examining Primary Medical Care in the Community.

15/10/08	Dental patients to suffer as tax relief slashed


09/10/08	IDA pre-budget submission seeks better deal for patients and dentists


06/10/08	Dentists warn that vending machines in schools affecting the health of our teenagers


12/08/08	Medical Card patients facing longer delays for dental treatment as 190 dentists withdraw from state scheme


10/06/08	One in five adults suffer teeth sensitivity


12/05/08	Appointment of Fintan Hourihan as new CEO 7th April 2008


28/04/08	One in Three Oral Injuries are Sports Related


25/03/08	Dental Anxiety in Children


17/12/07	Dentists advise of Oral Health Risk Associated with Osteoporosis and Cancer Drugs


16/10/07	Public Dental Service facing "meltdown"
	Problems compounded by lack of Chief Dental Officer

04/10/07	Dentists respond to Competition Authority report.
	8 out of 10 people entitled to Free or Subsidised Oral Healthcare - Yet Government Failing to Promote Entitlement.

10/09/07	Rebellious Oral Piercings can lead to Serious Illness
	College Freshers Warned that Piercings can even lead to death in extreme cases.

13/08/07	No Gumshield - No Game
	Dentists Urge Greater Use of Gumshields in School Sports One in four children suffer dental trauma before age 15

02/07/07	Irish Women Increasingly Contracting Oral (Mouth) Cancer
	Cancer of the head and neck to top 500 cases this year

29/05/07	More Bacteria in Mouth than in Toilet Irish Dental Association
	Kiss romance goodbye as bad breath bites

29/05/07	More Bacteria in Mouth than in Toilet ? Irish Dental Association
	Kiss romance goodbye as bad breath bites

15/05/07	Statement by the Irish Dental Association on suspension of Aulin


02/04/07	92% of Dentists Vote for IDA to Remove Support for Dental Treatment Services Scheme


13/03/07	Medical card scheme for dental services approaching collapse


30/01/07	Increase in Stress Levels leading to Increase in Oral Damage


16/01/07	Government refusal to negotiate with Dentists


13/12/06	Irish Times - Letter to the Editor
	Re Dental Tourism

04/12/06	New President of IDA identifies lack of Chief Dental Officer as reason for sharp decline in dental service provision in last two years


12/09/06	IDA responds to media reports of 7% increase in dental fees


29/05/06	Why Flossing Might Just Save Your Life.


24/04/06	Time to "Spring Clean your mouth" to take care of your health


31/01/06	New Chief Executive Officer appointed to Irish Dental Association


31/01/06	Dentists discuss latest sedation techniques at annual seminar


31/01/06	Dental Association calls on Government to launch awareness campaign on free dental care entitlements


31/01/06	450 new cases of oral cancer every year in Ireland


31/01/06	Dentists respond to Competition Authority report