This is certainly going to be good news for patients in Ireland. From 1 June 2011, all dental practices in Ireland will be have to display their private fees. The Irish Dental Council has issued a Code of Practice that goes on to make it compulsory for dentists to display the fees prominently. This should be put up in a place where patients can view them before consultation. This could be at the entrance to the practice, the reception area or the waiting room. If this Code of Practice is not observed stringently by all Dental professionals in Ireland then it might lead to proceedings being taken under the Dentist Act, 1995.
According to the Council, some prices can be shown as a single fee while others in a break up as is required. Also, there can be a grade of the minimum and maximum clearly stated on the fees so as not to lead to any kind of ambiguity. All fees must be accurate, transparent and include all costs. Dentists must display a single fee only for examinations, diagnosis and treatment plan, hygiene treatment small and large X-rays as well as prescription. This will go on to give the patients a systematic and comprehensive breakup of what is going to happen.
Treatments that can be displayed in a range of things such as restorations such as amalgam and composite resin, advanced gum treatment, acrylic and metal based dentures, root-canal treatment, routine extraction, surgical extraction, core/post preparation and crowns.
Dentists should provide an estimate of the cost of all other treatments and get patient agreement and consent before the treatment commences. In the midst of the treatment, the estimate has to be revised; a full explanation should be given to the patient at the earliest time possible. This should be done in writing.