The Consumers' Association of Ireland has called on the Government to investigate why dental treatment in Northern Ireland is considerably cheaper than in the Republic.
According to a CAI survey, an extraction which costs between £40 and £60 in Dublin is only £18 to £38 in Northern Ireland. A more expensive treatment such as a crown for a front tooth costs between £425 and £600 in Dublin but only £158 to £290 in Northern Ireland.
The secretary-general of the Irish Dental Association, Mr Donal Atkins, said his association did not recommend fee scales for private patients. Fees in the Republic were broadly similar to those in Northern Ireland for routine treatments, he claimed, but were higher for complicated treatments.
"It is difficult to make comparisons of costs in two different economies," he said, "and obviously patients need to ensure that they are comparing like with like.
"Standards of dental care in the South are extremely high. In fact they are second to none in Europe."
The Consumers' Association said it had had considerable difficulty in extracting prices from dentists. Most insisted that the price of treatments varied and that quotes could be given only on examination.
But the CAI suggested they should quote a basic price for the routine procedure and then suggest a range to account for additional complications.
Confidentiality was the reason cited by most dentists for their refusal to disclose charges. However, some had price lists and were happy to discuss prices over the telephone.
"Being able to price a service on the phone allows a consumer to shop around and find the best price," the Consumers' Association says in the current issue of Consumer Choice. "As it stands, the patient must make an appointment and pay a consultation fee before being told what the service might cost."
Mr Atkins advised consumers to shop around if they were dissatisfied with prices because they varied from practice to practice. Patients should also check their entitlement to State-funded dentistry as many people did not appear to know that they were eligible for free or subsidised dental treatment, he said.