One of the priorities of the National Oral Health Policy, Smile agus Sláinte, is to expand and maximise the oral healthcare workforce capacity in Ireland. It is positive to note that the number of practicing dentists in Ireland increased by 5% in 2023 compared to the previous year.
As of 2 April 2024, the number of dentists on the Dental Council register have increased, compared to March 2023. Currently there are 180 additional registered dentists (3,652 total) since this time last year. This reflects ongoing trends regarding registered dentists in the state, and compares favourably with the numbers in April 2019, when Smile agus Sláinte was published – 3,100.
Each year, approximately 90 new graduates are qualified to practise dentistry in Ireland, with additional graduates from other countries also registering. According to recent figures obtained, in 2022 90 Dentistry graduates were produced from both University College Cork and Trinity College Dublin. Fifty of these graduated from UCC, while forty graduated from TCD.
The number of dentists being trained will need to increase over the coming years to meet our population needs and to have sustainable workforce. In response to this, last year the Higher Education Authority (HEA) undertook a process designed to identify a set of options for Government from higher education institutions interested in building capacity across various disciplines, Dentistry being one of them. The HEA found, with investment, an additional 63 Dentists could potentially be trained annually.
Within this framework UCC submitted a proposal to expand their capacity. There are ongoing discussions around the National Development Plan (NDP) review between three departments - my Department, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform - given the significant capital costs involved in the expansion. There are a range of potential projects which have been identified and can be pursued in Dentistry among other areas, including the delivery of the new dental school and hospital in UCC, which will support delivery of national objectives including Sláintecare. Work is ongoing through the appropriate processes to explore options to support the Cork University Dental School and Hospital to continue to deliver on its remit regarding both education and healthcare service provision.
The Department of Health is fully supportive and would be in favour of any proposal to increase the number of dental graduates that will practise, and support workforce sustainability, in Ireland.
