Important notice about Coronavirus/Covid-19
Dear patients,
We are delighted to announce that our clinic has reopened its doors for routine dentistry, following the go ahead from State’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre. We have taken a variety of measures in order to ensure the safety of our staff and patient including…
Medical card holders
The Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides access to dental treatment for adult medical card holders (aged 16 or over).
Medical card holders are entitled to a free dental examination in each calendar year, as well as any extractions that are required. One first-stage endodontic (root canal) treatment is also available each year for teeth at the front of the mouth.
Two fillings are covered in each calendar year. For a filling on a tooth that has already been filled in the last 5 years, the claim form must detail why it is clinically necessary for the filling to be repeated.
Denture repairs, the control of haemorrhage and the issuing of prescriptions will be covered where the dentist is satisfied as to the clinical need.
All other treatments, including dentures, require the prior approval of the local HSE dental surgeon.
PRSI Scheme
With the introduction of the new PRSI dental entitlements in 2017, Garvey’s Tower Dental are pleased to offer once a year a dental examination and a scale & polish for only €15, to all those who qualify under PRSI, including self-employed individuals.
In order to claim for this benefit, please ensure you have your Personal Public Service Number (PPS number) with you when you attend the surgery. If you are a dependent spouse or civil partner, you should give the PPS number of the insured person.
Med 2 Form
There are certain dental treatments that you may be able to offset against your income tax or claim a tax refund. This can be done by filling out the MED 2 form and having your dentist sign it at the end of treatment.
Treatments covered by the Med 2 include:
VHI
PAY & CLAIM: With Pay & Claim, you pay us and then claim your benefits straight back from VHI Dental.
Step 1: At the Dentist
Following your treatment, after you pay us, we give you an itemised receipt. Ask us for a VHI Dental Claim form – we will fill sections B and C of the Claim Form
Step 2: Submit Your Claim
You fill section A of the Claim Form.
Submit the fully completed form along with original receipts to:
VHI Dental Claims
Aria Insurance Services Limited
IDA Business Park
Navan
Co Meath.
Claims are paid directly to the member’s bank account within 10 working days. For further information on VHI Dental see the VHI Dental website.
Cancellation
Anyone who cancels 24 hours before an appointment will not incur a charge. If a patient misses an appointment, or fails to cancel with a 24-hour notice, we will charge a fee of €35. This is not something we like to do, but we have a responsibility to our staff’s employment and to those serious about their dental health.
Those few who do not show for appointments or cancel regularly can have a knock-on effect on others looking for urgent appointments. Of course, we are sensitive to any unexpected problems and when there are genuine reasons as to why you could not attend, we can use our discretion to waive the fee.
Oral Cancer Awareness
Mouth cancer is an important global healthcare problem. There are more than 300 cases of cancer of the mouth (oral cavity and pharynx) reported in Ireland every year. It mainly affects people over the age of 40 with men being twice as likely to be affected than women (however the incidence rate of cancer of the mouth in women has increased significantly at a rate of 3% per year since 1994).
Oral carcinoma is a cancer that affects the mouth and portions of the throat, spreads quickly, and has a 5-year survival rate of only 64%. On the bright side, this disease is largely preventable. Avoiding high-risk behaviours is the key to prevention, and early detection is central to survival.
High Risk Behaviours:
Signs and Symptoms:
There are a number of signs and symptoms of mouth or throat cancer. If you have any of the following symptoms for more than 2 weeks, we recommend going to the dentist or your doctor as soon as possible:
Early Detection:
Fortunately, oral cancer can be treated successfully when it is detected in its early stages. An oral cancer exam is painless, takes only a few minutes, and here at Garvey’s Tower Dental all our assessments include an oral cancer examination as standard. Therefore, regular dental visits can improve your chances of detecting oral cancer early enough.