In the run up to General Election 2016, the Association contacted political parties and alliances seeking their views on a number of important oral health concerns. We asked them six questions as follows:

1. What are your views on how best to address the dental health crisis arising from the huge increase in sugar intake - please indicate specifically your views in regard to a sugar tax and, separately, your position on legislation to increase greater transparency in labelling on food and beverages to indicate the level of sugar contained within and curtailing advertising / promotion of those high sugar items especially to children and young adults?
2. Can you advise how you would propose to address the unacceptable increase in the number of children requiring dental treatment under general anaesthesia?
3. Please outline your policy in regard to dealing with the 20% reduction in the number of dentists employed by the HSE to treat children and special care patients, including severe restrictions in school screening and in providing routine dental treatments against a backdrop of increased need and demand.
4. Please set out how you would address the problems arising from the decision to impose savage cuts in dental benefits to those entitled to assistance under the medical card scheme (DTSS) and the PRSI dental scheme (DTBS) since 2010 and in each subsequent year?
5. Please outline how you believe you could best assist dental practices throughout the country which employ over 7,000 people directly and indirectly and which still receive no state support in contrast to the extensive supports provided to other primary care providers such as medical practices, other small businesses and large multinationals?
6. Please advise on how you would propose to address the linked issues of early childhood caries and the extensive waiting lists for orthodontic care and treatment for children?

Click on the links below to read the responses we received so far:

Fianna Fáil

Fine Gael

Green Party

Labour Party

Renua Ireland

Sinn Féin

We also contacted the Anti-Austerity Alliance, the Independent Alliance and the Social Democrats and are awaiting their responses.