The Dental Council was “unable to act” in 80 per cent of credible allegations about unregistered dentists in the past three years due to limitations in legislation governing the sector.
A statutory regulatory body, the council is tasked with promoting high standards of professional education and professional conduct among dentists.
However, a spokesman said it “does not have sufficient powers to protect the public from unregistered dentists”.
The council received 10 credible allegations of illegal practice since 2023, but was only able to act in two cases.
READ MORE
“Because of the inability to inspect registrations, the Dental Council was unable to act in the eight other cases,” he said.
Since 2008, the council has called for a revised Dentists Act, highlighting “significant gaps” in the legislation, particularly its inability to regulate or inspect dental practices.
In 2021, the organisation made a submission to then minister for health Stephen Donnelly outlining the changes required.
In its submission, the council said it was aware of several practices in which unregistered dentists are working but said it has no power to properly investigate the matter.
“One of these practices has closed and reopened under a number of different corporate entities, making it difficult for patients to seek a remedy for problems with treatment,” noted the submission.
“There was also a significant turnover in the registered dentists working in this practice, making it almost impossible to attach a clinical responsibility to an individual dentist for deficiencies with treatments. Some of these practices cater to a mainly immigrant population who are a vulnerable cohort.”
It also highlighted that it receives concerns from patients about “significant failures in infection prevention and control standards”, but there is no statutory or regulatory mechanism to address deficiencies with dental practices.
The council’s submission said the failure to implement any system of control has “resulted in significant patient harm”.
“The Dental Council is aware of at least 25 patients who were left with incomplete or ineffective treatment and who were out of pocket for significant sums of money,” noted the almost 50-page document.
“In some cases, patients had paid a five-figure sum to the dental practice and also had to fund the resultant corrective work at significant expense.”
In a statement, the council said there has been engagement with the Department of Health on this issue, but there has been “no progress” on introducing legislation.
In response to questions, the department said it is an offence for unregistered dentists to practise in the Republic and the council can “prosecute such cases”.
The spokeswoman said it is reviewing and updating the Dentists Act as part of broader reforms regarding oral health.
“Immediate legislative changes will focus on amending the existing Act. A priority for 2026 is to consider and proceed with amendments to the Act for areas which have been agreed with the Dental Council as priorities and to progress these where appropriate,” she said.
“The first of these priority interim enhancements is establishing a statutory basis for the Dental Council to implement continuous professional development ... Government approval was granted in December 2025 and work is ongoing to develop the necessary legislation.”
