Maintaining healthy teeth and gums usually requires regular trips to the dentist and occasional treatment for problem areas. Meeting the costs can be difficult at times; therefore, it is important to be aware of the ways in which you can obtain tax relief on the cost of treatment for both yourself and family members.
The Med 2 form
In Ireland, in addition to a standard tax return, a taxpayer would be required to fill out a Med 2 form. You will need to know the dates on which your treatment was carried out and what the cost was. You will also need your dentist’s signature, their name, address and qualifications, and their PPS number. It is also possible to claim online via the Revenue’s PAYE Anytime service.
What can I claim for?
A wide range of dental treatment is eligible for tax relief in Ireland. Crowns, veneers and etched fillings, along with post and core build-ups in materials other than gold (post and core build-ups are small inserts within the tooth’s nerve canal that help to keep a crown secure) and inlays that are fabricated outside the mouth are eligible, as are orthodontic treatments such as braces and bridgework. Endodontics, which covers treatment of the root canal, is eligible, as is periodontal treatment, which can encompass quite a broad range of mouth and gum treatments. Finally, while the surgical removal of an impacted wisdom tooth is eligible for tax relief, regular extractions are excluded – even if there is an underlying health condition present. You should check the terms within the Med 2 form carefully.
Time limit
It is important to file your claim in time, meaning a maximum of four years after the end of the tax year that your claim is relevant to; for example, if you visited a dentist in Dublin such as http://www.docklandsdental.ie in the year 2013, it is essential to file your claim before the end of the year 2017 tax year.
Where can I find further information?
Reliable further information can be found on the Ireland Revenue website.
Exceptions
It is not possible to claim tax relief on routine fillings, teeth scaling, or the repair of dentures and artificial teeth, even if there is an underlying health condition or the treatment is deemed to be non-routine in some way.