Medical cardholders who are struggling to find dental care face a postcode lottery following an exodus of private dentists from the scheme.
New figures reveal the extent of the patchy services across the country, with some areas becoming blackspots due to a lack of access.
The national picture has emerged in figures provided by the HSE to Sinn Féin's spokesman on health, Waterford TD David Cullinane.
It is estimated there are now just 750 private dentists signed up to treat medical cardholders - one per 2,000 patients.
27 private dentists in Wexford have now left the medical card scheme, which amounts to 51 percent.
It's followed by 25 in Waterford, 19 in Carlow and Kilkenny and 7 in South Tipperary.
Separate figures from the HSE show the crisis extends beyond regular dentistry, with 27,000 children and adults on waiting lists for dental and oral surgery as well as orthodontics.
