The extent of recent dental heath service cuts does not make economic sense, according to the Irish Dental Association.

Conor McAlister, President-Elect of the IDA, said dentists were only too well aware of the financial plight facing this country and the next Government.

"However, the extent of recent cuts does not make economic sense. In dentistry, every small problem left unattended will only get worse and require more complex and expensive treatment."

Mr McAlister cited the recent restrictions in the medical card dental scheme to emergencies only and the slashing of subsidised care for those paying social insurance as major concerns for the IDA.

He said at present two million taxpayers are no longer entitled to subsidised dental treatment despite paying increased social insurance charges.

Mr McAlister added that the most disadvantaged group in our society is entitled to routine dental treatment as a basic human right.

He added that understaffing of clinics has led to cutbacks in the the free treatment scheme for children under 16 and adults with special needs. In the whole county of Monaghan, there was only one dentist catering for the entire under-16 population of the county.

Mr McAlister added that  there is a three-year waiting list in Cork for people with special needs who reauire dental care and need a general anaesthetic.

Both Fine Gael and Labour have pledged to restore routine dental care cover for medical card patients. However, both have said that due to the current state of the Government finances, they cannot at this stage restore the PRSI dental subsidies.