Approximately two million people in Ireland pay PRSI, but surprisingly only 25% of those eligible claim their entitlements of an Exam, Scale and Polish.
It is important to note that not all dentists are registered providers of the PRSI dental scheme but if they are, you should be entitled to claim an annual free check-up, as well as a subsidised Scale and Polish (cleaning) for €15.
Visiting your dentist at least once a year for a check-up is important to ensure that any issues are detected early, before they become bigger and often expensive problems. Regular cleaning of the teeth by a dental professional is also essential to remove plaque and tartar both above and below the gumline, eliminating bacteria that lead to cavities, bad breath and gum disease.
The Treatment Benefit Scheme is run by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) and provides dental, optical and aural services to qualified people. The Treatment Benefit Scheme is available to insured workers, the self-employed and retired people who have the required number of PRSI contributions.
Under the Treatment Benefit Scheme, you may qualify for:
• Dental benefit
• Optical benefit
• Hearing aids
There is a number of criteria for claiming PRSI entitlements the main one being, you must have paid Class A, E, P, H or S social insurance contributions. The amount of social insurance you need depends on your age.
A spouse, civil partner or cohabitant may, of course, qualify in their own right if they have enough social insurance contributions. If your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant does not have enough social insurance contributions he/she may still qualify for Treatment Benefit on your social insurance record. To do this, you must qualify for Treatment Benefit and your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant must be dependent on you.
How do I Check if I’m Eligible?
Call us at Dame Street Dental where one of our receptionists will check on the Welfare Partners website to see if you are eligible for an Exam, Scale and Polish for €15. In order for us to find out if you are eligible, our receptionist will require your consent to check, your PPSN and date of birth.
There are three results that can come from this check; approved, pending and not approved.
• If your claim is “approved“, you will be able to claim your Exam, Scale and Polish for that calendar year for only €15.
• If your claim is “pending“, this can be for a number of reasons such as; large volume of checks being processed by the site at the time, or it can be that your eligibility requires further checks by a welfare administrator. This may also mean we are unsure of eligibility prior to your appointment. As a result of this, we will be obliged to charge you full private fees on the day of your appointment. If/when we receive confirmation of your eligibility we will reimburse you the excess paid for the private fee, meaning you get your Exam, Scale and Polish for €15.
• If your claim is “not approved“, we can still make you an appointment privately if you wish. All our practices are accepting new patients and would be more than happy to accommodate you.
*Please note that PRSI entitlements can only be claimed with selected general dentists. If you wish to claim your PRSI entitlements please note it at the time of booking.
