A Kilkenny dentist is calling on the public to book their next dental visit before the year end in order to benefit from PRSI subsidies for a final time
Dr Roger Ryan of the Patrick St practice said that if people get their PRSI applications in before January 1, they can avail of dental treatment under the scheme for up to three months.
Some 29,000 people in Kilkenny are about to lose their subsidised dental treatment due to budget cuts coming into effect on January 1.
Dental patients nationwide will no longer receive government subsidies paid out of the national PRSI fund for dental care including the costs of procedures such as extractions, cleaning, root canal treatment, and fillings.
Unless eligible patients make contact with their dentist to get approval for treatment before Christmas they will not be able to take advantage of their existing dental benefits.
Local dentists are urging PRSI employees to make urgent appointments with their dentist before the end of the month if they wish to receive the full benefits of the existing scheme before it is gutted.
Local dentist Roger Ryan criticised the budget cuts saying: “The long term effects of these cuts will result in people going longer without dental treatment and allowing minor problems to develop into serious dental problems, forcing people to choose between costly treatment and their teeth.”
Speaking on behalf of the Irish Dental Association he added that they are disappointed at the Government’s decision to restrict Kilkenny’s 29,000 PRSI workers’ access to dental treatment.
“The IDA will be campaigning for the immediate restoration of the PRSI subsidies over the next year but in the meantime the IDA would encourage patients to contact their local dentist and take advantage of their existing PRSI entitlements before January 1.”
