The Irish Dental Association says the current Dental Treatment Service Scheme does not allow them to provide the care their patients need.
There are 252 fewer dentists signed up to the scheme now, compared to last year.
Patients are struggling to get appointments, travelling further, or postponing visits.
CEO of the IDA, Fintan Hourihan says the scheme imposes rules on dentists' clinical decision-making:
"In Cork and all across the country, dentists are leaving the scheme. This is a scheme which doesn't allow dentists to provide the care to patients that they need and that they deserve, imposes all sorts of rules under clinical decision-making. So, for example, there's unlimited numbers of extractions of teeth allowed but only allows a certain number of teeth top be saved".
