Dentist and Medical card?

Kerry3333

Hi
I was just at the dentist and was told I had to pay €30 to see the dentist as the medical card does not cover this. It covered my medication but did not cover to see the dentist. Just want to know is this true. Should I have been charged €30 even though I have a medical card?

lac007

It depends on what You had done.As far as I know Your allowed a free check up twice a year,and 2 extractions and 2 fillings a year.

Kerry3333

I seen the dentist for literally about two whole minutes because she 'was in a rush' and its about a wisdom tooth so she looked in my mouth and wrote out a prescription for antibiotics. I never had to pay before to see the dentist.

ballsymchugh

some medical cards are for prescriptions only, and do not cover dental visits. you can check the status of your card here.

https://www.sspcrs.ie/portal/checker/index.jsp

Kerry3333

Ok I put in my card number and it came up 'valid' under the 'GMS' scheme? What does that mean?

laura2011

i get one check up a year and either 2 filling or extractions, only ever used the check up and pay for cleans myself

laura2011

if its your second visit in 12 months id imagine you would have to pay

ballsymchugh

laura2011 wrote: »

if its your second visit in 12 months id imagine you would have to pay

yeah i'd imagine that's the issue there.

Kerry3333

Ok I understand now.
It must be only recent that you have to pay for your 2nd 3rd visit with a medical card but Thanks everyone for quick replies and info

door

I'm confused over what a medical card holder is entitled to. I used to go to my own private dentist in better times but now that I am on a medical card I assume I have to go a special state one now in order for it to be paid? Is this correct? I live in the Dun Laoghaire area.

trad

Wife and I got medical cards, found a dentist on the scheme and made appointment for both of us for check up (free).

Skimmed us for €100 for cleaning. Never told us it wasn't covered.

Then he brings me back for an extraction (necessary) and the requisite 2 fillings. Did 2 minor cosmetic fillings that I didn't know were required and left a tooth which will require work and now I'll have to pay for it because I've had my 2 fillings.

Bottom line ask exactly what is covered and what is not before you sit in the chair.

door

Thanks for that useful information trad!! Just out of interest did you find a private dentist and where can one find private dentists who work with the medical card?

Owryan

door wrote: »

Thanks for that useful information trad!! Just out of interest did you find a private dentist and where can one find private dentists who work with the medical card?

Your local health centre should have a list. I needed to get a wisdom tooth looked at and as I have a medical card thats the way I found a dentist.

Ask at the dentists what exactly is covered

Graces7

The new rules are short sighted. Dentures are not covered. Not even for pensioners.

I accidentally broke my lower denture last year. No way could I get it repaired on the medical card. E80'; almost a week's money. And no teeth leads to health issues of course.

Thankfully I found a kind young dentist who wangled the repair somehow, else I would be without teeth as many old ones are now. Dentures cost hundreds. I have had mine nearly 30 years. from the years in the UK.

Clinical Dental tech

You are allowed a checkup and two fillings per year. you are also allowed an unlimited number of extractions. you are also allowed denture repairs and you are also allowed to apply for new dentures every 5 years. approval is by the local principle dentist.
Tad, you should always get a treatment plan with costings before any treatment is carried out.

Clinical Dental tech

Graces you were completely miss informed about the denture repair. The dentist didn't wangle the repair they just put the claim in

davo10

Clinical Dental tech wrote: »

Graces you were completely miss informed about the denture repair. The dentist didn't wangle the repair they just put the claim in

Clinical Dental Tech, this is wrong information.

Many treatments which used to be covered under med card scheme are no longer so. This includes dentures and denture repairs. A dentist/patient can apply for approval for these treatments to the local HSE Principal dentist but there is no guarantee of approval and it must be done in advance.

So the previous poster could have been waiting weeks for approval and may not have got it, all the while having a broken denture. The dentist probably rang the principal, explained the situation and asked for assurance that if the repair was done immediately that the HSE would cover it retrospectively.

That would sound to me like the dentist going out of ther way to help someone by wangling and cutting through the usual approval requirement.

In case you think that the dentist made a profit on this, he/she didn't. A denture repair can cost €40 - €70 and the HSE do not pay this much to the dentist (or certainly didnt before the scheme was reduced a couple of years ago).

Clinical Dental tech

hi davo, pick up the phone and call PCRS and i think you will find that i am actually right.
you do not need prior approval for denture repairs.
do you work within the profession?

mp22

Thank you and closed!