The Irish Dental Association (IDA) has described the Government's decision to continue the cutbacks in dental treatment for medical card holders into next year as "cynical and inexcusable."

Medical card holders had cover for non-emergency dental care removed earlier this year, and this is set to continue.

In this week's Budget, Finance Minister Brian Lenihan confirmed that funding for the medical card dental scheme for 2011 would continue at 2008 levels.

However the IDA has pointed out that by the end of 2011 there will be 350,000 more people holding medical cards, bringing the total number up to 1.6 million.

IDA Chief Executive Fintan Hourihan said accused the Government of moving from a position where it offered minimal support to dentistry, to one where it was now actively undermining the provision of care to those who could least afford it.

"The Medical Card scheme wasn't perfect but it provided a basic dental care framework for the poorer members of society. Now we have the frankly disgraceful situation where what is a limited emergency treatment service is now being stretched beyond breaking point."

Mr Hourihan said 2008 funding cannot provide any semblance of a dental service for 1.6 million medical card holders next year, with the result that hundreds of thousands of people will be denied a range of routine treatments including fillings and extractions as well as dentures and treatment of gum disease" Hourihan said.

"We find it particularly inexplicable that the Government has decided to reduce in real terms the level of spending on dental care for medical card holders," he said.

The IDA also criticised the continuing restriction of the PRSI dental benefit scheme to covering only a check-up. It said this was at a time when when people are now being asked to pay up to 7% of income towards the new universal social charge.

"Dental benefits were the most tangible benefits of the PRSI scheme. The downgrading of this scheme is totally unacceptable" Hourihan concluded.