Hundreds of PRSI-insured workers are contacting the Department of Social and Family Affairs each day to find out the names of dentists who are still providing a service under the State's social insurance scheme, it was confirmed yesterday.
A spokeswoman said that about 500 people were calling the Department each day and were being referred to dentists who complied with the scheme.
That number was changing daily, however, owing to the growing numbers of dentists who were opting out of the scheme because of the dispute between the Government and the Irish Dental Association over fees, she added.
The association claims that not more than 50 dentists are still participating in the State-run scheme.
An estimated 1.5 million PRSI-insured workers who should qualify for treatment under the dental benefit scheme are currently without cover because of the dispute.
The Department is "still considering" the Irish Dental Association's offer to participate in conciliation talks to end the dispute, according to the spokeswoman. However, the dentists' organisation is adamant that, even if talks do get under way, its members will continue to charge the extra fees to patients, as they are doing at present.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Ms Coughlan, has offered to refer the dispute to an independent artbitrator on condition that the dentists suspend their action while talks take place.
The Labour Party's spokeswoman on health, Ms Liz McManus, yesterday called on the Minister to "stop engaging in brinkmanship" and take up the offer of talks to end the dispute.
"Since the Minister effectively sacked the dentists who provide services to PRSI workers a couple of weeks ago, thousands of dental patients have been forced to wait for an end to this dispute or to go to one of the few available dentists not involved in the dispute to seek treatment. This is saving the Government many thousands of euro every week," Ms McManus said.