Dental fees up in Ireland despite recession

The recession may have lowered the cost of many consumer health services, but dentists' fees in Ireland continue to increase, according to an Irishhealth.com article.

According to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI), dental fees increased by 2.2% between November 2008 and November 2009, while doctors' fees decreased during the same period by 2.1%, the article noted. CPI figures also showed a 2% increase in dental fees and a 1.1% decrease in doctors' fees between October 2008 and October 2009.

However, "dentists are facing a major drop in income, and many private patients will have to pay more, as a result of the budget decision to effectively abolish the scheme that allows people paying the full rate of PRSI [pay-related social insurance] to avail of subsidized treatment from private dentists," Irishhealth.com stated.

The Irish Dental Association has stated that when this scheme is abolished in January, dentists' incomes from the subsidized treatment scheme will be reduced by 80%, the article concluded.