Almost 40% of public dental patients are having to wait for an average of three months for an elective appointment, a new survey by the Irish Dental Association (IDA) has revealed.

Meanwhile, over half of patients are left waiting longer than three months for specialist care, including orthodontic and oral surgery.

The pressure on the Dental Treatment Service Scheme (DTSS) was highlighted at the IDA’s recent annual conference in Kilkenny. Under this scheme, free dental services are available to adults over the age of 16 who have a medical card.

However, the survey revealed that 80% of IDA members who currently hold a DTSS contract are no longer able to take on new medical card patients. Furthermore, 93% said they would not sign up to the medical card contract in its current form during any talks on a new dental scheme.

Overall, one-quarter of dentists are not in a position to take on new private adult patients, while four out of five dentists said they can no longer take on any new patients including children.

The survey also noted that 50% of dentists have tried to hire a dentist in the past year, however, almost 60% were unable to find a suitable candidate.

This means that both public and private patients are struggling to access dental care.

The findings follow a recent vote of no confidence in the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, and Department of Health officials. This vote took place at the IDA’s pre-conference AGM.

“The stark results of this survey and the resounding response from our members substantiate our concerns surrounding the ongoing issues facing the sector, which are acting as significant barriers to patients who require access to adequate and efficient oral healthcare.

“The fact that an unprecedented 93% of dentists say that they would not sign up to the medical card contract in its current form even with the promise of a new scheme is indicative of a model which is not fit for purpose and directly impacts on the most vulnerable in our society,” commented IDA president, Eamon Croke.

He pointed out that the government plans to provide new prevention-focused oral healthcare to children aged seven and under through a model where they would be seen by a private dentist, moving away from public service screening.

However, he said that it’s “notable” from the survey findings that 83% of members would not be in a position to sign up to such a scheme “due to practices already being understaffed and overstretched”.

“Our membership is beyond frustrated at the endless broken promises and false dawns by the Minister and his department. The recent vote of no confidence in the Minister by dentists shows how broken their trust is in a system and service that has no capacity or seen any meaningful commitment to reform,” Mr Croke insisted.

He added that without political will, “patients, particularly children and those most vulnerable, will continue to shoulder the burden of a system crumbling under decades of inaction and neglect”.