DENTISTS:THE GOVERNMENT'S decision to restrict tax relief on dental work in the Budget is short-sighted and will result in poorer levels of oral health among the public, the Irish Dental Association (IDA) has said.
At prsent, tax relief can be claimed at the standard, 20 per cent, or higher, 41 per cent, rates of tax depending on a person's earnings. However, from January tax relief on all medical expenses is to be capped at 20 per cent.
The association was critical of the move, which it believes will deter and unfairly penalise patients who require dental work.
"This country already has one of the poorest levels of state support for dental health of any European country and the public dental health sector is close to collapse," IDA chief executive Fintan Hourihan said. "This move is likely to discourage large numbers from undertaking important dental treatment or from getting important preventative work done for their children."
Mr Hourihan said the association is seeking a meeting with Minister for Health Mary Harney to discuss the matter.
He said the tax relief changes would do lasting damage to dental health services.
