Catherine Ardagh (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)
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601. To ask the Minister for Health her plans to introduce an independent regulator for dentistry in Ireland that will oversee the registration of dentists, which is currently handled by the Dental Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49778/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Dentists Act 1985 establishes the Dental Council as the regulatory body for the dental profession in Ireland. Its general concern is to promote high standards of professional education and professional conduct among dentists. The Dental Council's main functions are assigned under the 1985 Act, and this includes establishing, maintaining and publishing a Register of Dentists and a Register of Dental Specialists and providing for the registration and the retention of dentists' names in these registers.

Ensuring the continued protection of the public and high oral healthcare standards is a priority for me as Minister for Health, and I am committed to reviewing and updating the Dentists Act 1985. The review and updating of the legislation is directly related to the wider implementation of the National Oral Health Policy, which envisages a fundamental reform of oral health services. As such, any new legislation will also be informed by this work.

During 2025, the Department is undertaking a two-strand approach to the review and updating of the Dentists Act 1985. Ahead of the revision of the wider Dentists Act 1985, a priority is to progress the development of a small number of interim enhancements to the Dentists Act in areas identified as a priority by the Dental Council and to proceed with these amendments where appropriate.

In order to inform the wider review of the Dentists Act 1985, a series of thematic engagements on legislative matters between the Department and the Dental Council has taken place. These are important inputs to the overall regulatory reform programme that the Department is developing, with the objective of introducing a new modern regulatory framework for all relevant aspects of dentistry, including the scope of regulation, the role, functions and governance arrangements of the Dental Council, and the scope of powers available to it.

The Department welcomes positive engagement from all stakeholders, including the public and wider dental profession, in this regard. I am confident that, informed by this engagement, the Department will be able to deliver a robust, evidence based modern regulatory framework which supports the National Oral Health Policy and the associated reforms targeted for oral healthcare.

Any legislative change will ultimately be a decision for the Oireachtas.

Catherine Ardagh (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)
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602. To ask the Minister for Health the process to be registered as a dentist with the Irish Dental Council, including the number of applicants that are accepted each year; the criteria to select applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49779/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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To apply for full registration as a dentist with the Dental Council, you must fall under one of the following categories;

- a graduate in dentistry from a university in Ireland or a graduate with a qualification recognised under the Dental Council’s mutual recognition agreements with Canada and New Zealand.

- a graduate with a scheduled dental degree/diploma from within the EU, and certification from your Competent Authority confirming compliance with the minimum conditions set out in the Professional Qualifications Directive.

- a graduate with a dental degree/diploma from within the EU, who is not entitled to automatic recognition but who may be entitled to assessment as set out in the Professional Qualifications Directive.

- a graduate who obtained their dental degree/diploma outside of the EU, but has gained recognition of their qualification, in accordance with Article 2(2) of the directive, in a member state and in addition has practiced the profession in that member state for 3 years in the proceeding 5 years, in accordance with Article 3(3) of the directive.

Those with a dental degree/diploma who do not fall into the above categories must pass the Dental Council Examination for Dentists in order to apply for full registration.

To apply for registration, the applicant needs to submit a completed application form and registration fee along with the relevant supporting documents, as set out on the Dental Council website at:

The Dental Council recommends that applicants allow for the registration process to take three months. While it aims to finalise applications as quickly as possible, delays can occur due to incomplete applications or if additional information is required.

The number of dentists registered over the last three years and the current year are:

2025 (up to June): 179

2024: 279

2023: 320

2022: 257