Dr. Dympna Kavanagh:

The legislation we refer to is to make continuing professional education mandatory. That is not to say such education cannot be undertaken currently. We require legislation not for clinical dental technicians but for hygienists. Student registration is another key aspect, although we have not discussed it here. That relates to continuity of care and other reasons. With regard to education and training, just two dental schools are specified. One of the issues to which we alluded is the increase in the number of European graduates coming here. We also have private schools in Ireland and the Dental Council of Ireland does not have jurisdiction over them. Across Europe there has been a huge increase in the workforce of dental graduates but they are all from a variable mix. We need legislation in that regard. The Dental Council of Ireland does not have the wherewithal to go into premises and inspect them. Dr. Green alluded to the need for us to have high-quality standards in dental care. The HSE service is exemplary in that regard. It is important that for all premises and practices, the Dental Council of Ireland should be able to put in a programme of work whereby it can inspect practices. The main issues for the policy are for the continuing professional development to be mandatory and for there to be registration and fitness to practice for the two key groups of hygienists and clinical dental technicians.