Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 September 2026
721. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health if she will provide details of the number of students who graduate each year in dentistry/orthodontics; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68279/26]
View answerIn terms of the number of dental graduates in Ireland, the national capacity for dentistry courses until recently was approximately 60 Irish/EU places annually out of a total of approximately 100. This Government has worked to increase the number of Irish/EU dental undergraduate places, and there are now around 90 Irish/EU places in the academic year for 2026/27.
While progress has been made more must be done to look at how we can increase student training places further which is why my colleagues in the Department of Health have engaged with our dental schools regarding the expansion of training places. These engagements are ongoing with a view to developing potential options to facilitate further expansions.
There are now three undergraduate programmes for Dentistry, including the existing programmes in Trinity College Dublin and University College Cork. This is as a result of the initial Higher Education Authority (HEA) Expression of Interest process.
It is important that any increases in training provision is achieved in a sustainable way with an evidence based understanding of the future needs of the health system. My officials have been engaging with colleagues in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) regarding the potential expansion of dentistry training provision.
Part of this engagement has resulted in a proposal for funding from University College Cork to establish a dental outreach centre. This would enable the training of additional undergraduate students in the dentistry programme, in a primary care setting, benefiting both Irish and EU students. Discussions are currently ongoing between my Department and DFHERIS to try and progress this proposal with a view to maximising both Irish and EU places to enhance workforce capacity in Ireland, as well as increased service provision.
My Department officials have received a draft proposal to increase the number of dental places at the Dublin Dental University Hospital, located at Trinity College Dublin. This will require further discussion and agreement between my Department and DFHERIS.
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) School of Dentistry was established in September 2025 to help address Ireland’s dental workforce needs and improve access to oral healthcare. This Government is making a significant investment in this programme to address demand for dentistry services in Ireland. The programme trains future dentists in a community-based model, where students develop their clinical skills in real patient-care settings under direct supervision. The RCSI has reached an agreement with the HEA to expand the number of Irish/EU places to 28 this year. There is capacity to increase the total annual EU intake in this course to 35 places by 2027. This will represent a 60% increase on dental training places in Ireland compared to 2024.
Currently both Dublin Dental University Hospital at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and Cork University Dental School and Hospital at University College Cork (UCC) offer specialist dental training. TCD offers a specialist qualification dental training which is a DChDent. UCC offers two options for specialist dental training which are the D Clin Dent in Oral Surgery and the D Clin Dent in Orthodontics.
I am aware that TCD does not have a minimum number of students, but as per Irish Committee of Specialist Training in Dentistry regulations, they cannot have more than 6 students overall in each of the DChDent programmes. Usually, TCD offers a maximum of 2 place per year. With regards to UCC its intake is 3 to 4 students for each programme every three years (i.e. new intake when the current intake is completed).
My Department remains committed to ensuring that our oral healthcare system is supported by a steady and sustainable pipeline of highly skilled graduates. Further work is underway with DFHERIS and other relevant Government Departments and the HEA to explore the potential expansion of student places across health and social care professions including dentistry.
