Dental Services

Dental services for adults

Treatment Benefit Scheme

If you have paid enough social insurance contributions you can get free dental examinations under the Treatment Benefit Scheme.

Medical card holders

The Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides access to dental treatment for adult medical card holders (aged 16 or over).

Medical card holders are entitled to a free dental examination in each calendar year, as well as any extractions that are required. One first-stage endodontic (root canal) treatment is also available each year for teeth at the front of the mouth.

Two fillings are free in each calendar year. For a filling on a tooth that has already been filled in the last 5 years, the claim form must detail why it is clinically necessary to repeat the filling.

Denture repairs, the control of haemorrhage and the issuing of prescriptions will be covered where required.

All other treatments, including providing dentures, require the prior approval of the local HSE dental surgeon.

Dental services for children

HSE Dental Clinics provide services for children under 16 years of age. This service is accessed through screening appointments in your child’s primary school.

Orthodontic treatment

The HSE provides free orthodontic treatment for children who have the most severe orthodontic problems. The criteria used to decide whether a child qualifies is based on an international grading system called the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need.

HSE dental surgeons can advise on eligibility and refer you to the local HSE orthodontic unit for assessment if appropriate. The types of orthodontic problems that qualify under the guidelines include front teeth that are buried and fail to emerge, multiple missing teeth, very prominent front teeth or severe problems with the bite or jaw development.

Private patients

If you do not qualify for HSE services, you can use a private dental service.

Dentists must display private fees in a place where patients can view them before consultation. A single fee must apply for some procedures while the fees for others may be shown as a range, with a minimum and maximum clearly stated. Where a range of fees applies, it is not permitted to set a minimum price only.

The Dental Council has produced a Code of Practice relating to: Display of Private Fees in Dental Practices (pdf).

Tax relief on dental expenses

If you pay for dental services from a private practitioner, you may claim tax relief for certain specialised dental treatments. (Routine treatments such as extractions, scaling and filling of teeth and provision and repairing of artificial teeth and dentures are excluded from tax relief).

Further information on how to claim tax relief for specific dental costs incurred by you whether for yourself, your spouse, your dependent child or a dependent relative is available in our document on taxation and medical expenses.

Clinical Dental Technicians

Clinical Dental Technicians are dental healthcare professionals, registered with the Dental Council. They provide complete dentures and partial dentures directly to adult patients who have recently been assessed by a dentist. They do not carry out work on natural teeth or on living tissue.

Clinical Dental Technicians who have a contract with the HSE can treat medical card holders under the Dental Treatment Services Scheme, providing approved dentures and relines as well as denture repairs and additions.