Can I visit multiple dentists using my medical card?

Orlak2410

I like my dentist but they're very busy at the moment with an average 6 week waiting time the past few months.

Am I able to go to another dentist that accepts medical cards as a once off?

TooTired123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058292457/can-i-visit-multiple-dentists-using-my-medical-card

You would have to get the list of dentists who take medical cards in your area and ring each one and ask if they will see you on the medical card. Very few dentists are seeing medical card patients at the moment. No dentist is obliged to treat you.

Orlak2410

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120480805#Comment_120480805

Yeah I rang about 50 before finding my one back in December. I don't know why they discriminate against medical card patients though. They're getting the full fees back from the HSE surely. Anyway, I'm wondering if I were to find another one, would I be able to go as a once off.

TooTired123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120481645#Comment_120481645

The dentists are in a very long running well documented extremely bitter dispute with the HSE about medical card patients.

Most dentists have no stopped providing dental care to medical card patients. At Christmas there were only 600 dentists left in the whole country who will see medical card patients.

I doubt very much if you’ll find one willing to take you on. It’s entirely up to the dentist wether he/she treats you or not. As I think I already said, they’re not obliged to see you.

Orlak2410

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120481813#Comment_120481813

"As I think I already said, they’re not obliged to see you"

Okay obviously this has touched a nerve with you somehow. However, my previous dentist did stop seeing me. I rang up one day to book an appointment and they said their contract expired. All I was asking you is why they don't want to take on medical card patients. Are they not being payed or is there a delay in them getting paid etc.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120482093#Comment_120482093

If they have no contract, they are not being paid.

My Dentist has been trying to get her contract renewed since last summer - she wants to treat her medical card patients - but has said that dealing with the HSE is proving extremely difficult and frustrating. Every time she provides whatever documents they ask for, they come back and ask for more.

I did get an appointment to see her a few weeks ago, but I chose to pay for the consultation, as I don't trust anyone else near my teeth.

Dempo1

There is literally no Dentist taking Medical card patients in Ireland at the moment. As @TooTired123 has correctly pointed out there's a long and protracted on going dispute with no sign of any resolution. OP consider yourself fortunte your current dentist didn't stop covering MC patients as mine did as far back as 2019.

Re the HSE link for adult dentist services is a complete waste of time and they care less & just to add insult insult to injury the Irish Dentists association still list Dentists doing Medical card treatments that are infact definitely Not.

TooTired123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120482093#Comment_120482093

No nerve has been touched (pardon the pun!). I would just be keen to prevent you from thinking that you could somehow demand to be treated.

Of course it’s ludicrous that in one of the richest countries in the world that people deemed vulnerable enough to be entitled to free healthcare (medical card holders) shouldn’t be entitled to also have their teeth looked after, but this is a ludicrous country in many ways. You’ll have to find the money somehow to get your teeth seen too. The dentist might enter into a payment plan with you?

hawthorne

I am with a dentist who still looks after medical card patients. He always does a very good job and I would not go anywhere else. Until about 2 years ago I could get an appointment within a week. Now I have to wait for 8 weeks....He is fully booked out every single day!