The meeting heard from a variety of speakers who warned that:

* The cuts mean the State is to"ration" dental treatments for medical card patients meaning that some medical card patients would be treated this year and others would not. 

* People would delay or put off dental treatments with consequences for their dental and general health.  Regular dental checkups have a proven role in helping to detect oral cancers and heart disease.

Speaking at the meeting, Fintan Hourihan said that the Government had destroyed what minimal support it has given to dental health care in recent years; "the Government has targeted supports which were designed for the most vulnerable patients or for workers who are paying for them week in and week out.  The consequences will be huge for dentists and for patients alike as we roll back much of the progress we've made in recent years."

Hourihan also revealed that the Dental Association has completed an economic assessment of the dental supports which proved that the supports available through the PRSI scheme save the taxpayer €3 for every €1 spent; "this proves that the cuts the Government have made do not even make economic sense."

Hourihan detailed an estimated €110 million in cuts announced by the Government in recent months:

* Cutting an estimated €30 million from the expected cost of dental treatments for medical card patients this year – meaning dental services will be rationed for medical card patients for the fist time ever.

* Cutting an expected €50 million by restricting financial support for PRSI payers to cost of examination only and not treatments – despite the fact that workers are still expected to pay the same amount in PRSI.

* Removing an estimated €29 million a year in tax relief for dental treatment for higher earners.