Eoin Hayes (Dublin Bay South, Social Democrats)
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809. To ask the Minister for Health if she will undertake an independent review of the registration process for dentists by an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54625/25]

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.