Dentists in the DTSS between July 2007 and July 2008.
Recent attention in the media concerning the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) centres on the number of contracting dentists as a surrogate measure of the availability of services to adult medical card holders in the Republic of Ireland.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the trend in the number of contracting dentists on the DTSS panel during the year 07/'07 to 07/'08.


METHODS
Data were extracted from the database of monthly claims for remuneration, submitted by providers, which is held by the HSE.


RESULTS
The average number of contractors was 1,258. The trend over the year was a reduction of 1.6% in contractor numbers. The average number of 'active' contractors was 833. The trend over the year was a reduction in 'active' contractor numbers of 6.2%. In any month, approximately 34% of contracting dentists were not active.


CONCLUSIONS
The trend in the number of contracting dentists was a poor indicator of the trend in availability of services to medical card holders. A better approach would be to count the number of 'active' contractors, in conjunction with their geographic spread and medical card holder density.
Lynch
Liam
L
Kilbrin House, Wellington Road, Cork. lmnoslynch@eircom.net
D000328:Adult; D003284:Contract Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003815:Dentists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007344:Insurance Claim Reporting / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007494:Ireland; D013218:State Dentistry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*