Patients put at risk as dentists sanctioned abroad are allowed to practise in Ireland
- Dignity 4Patients
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
By Eilish O'Regan - Irish Independent - 15.05.2025 - [IRELAND - [Prevention] Around 37 dentists who were sanctioned for misconduct or poor performance abroad have been allowed to treat patients in Ireland and put them at risk because of gaps in the law, it has emerged.
The dentists who were registered here were out of reach of regulators due to legislation that was not updated for nearly 40 years.
The risk to patients emerged as it was confirmed that long-awaited legislation will be rolled out in the coming months, giving the Dental Council, which regulates the profession, powers for the first time to crack down on these sanctioned dentists.
Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has signed a commencement order to provisions of the Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Act 2020, which amends the Dentists Act 1985 . David O’Flynn, Dental Council registrar, said it will commence implementing the provisions of the act over the coming months.
“Under the act, any registered dentist with a sanction in another jurisdiction is obliged to inform the Dental Council. “With the commencement of the act, failing to disclose a sanction from another jurisdiction to the regulator is now a ground of complaint under the fitness to practise provisions of the Dentists Act, 1985.
“The first step the Dental Council intends taking is to write to all registrants to inform them of their obligations under the act as regards informing the regulator of sanctions or relevant proceedings, whether in this jurisdiction or elsewhere. “Since 2015, the Dental Council has been advised of sanctions in other jurisdictions against 37 dentists who are or were registered in Ireland.
“This is when the Dental Council started to receive alerts under the EU’s Internal Market Information System.
“It should be noted that in many of cases the dentist may no longer be on the register in Ireland or the sanctions in those other jurisdictions may have since been resolved. “The Dental Council expects that the number of currently registered dentists with active sanctions in another jurisdiction will be significantly lower than this.”
Will Rymer, the new president of the Irish Dental Association, which holds its annual conference this weekend, welcomed the move, but he said other regulations are badly needed.
Right now, legislation does not require dentists and dental auxiliary workers to maintain a professional competency.
The Tipperary dentist said this means that while dentists are ethically obliged to maintain an ongoing competence, this is not underpinned by legislation.
“In this way, dentistry is so clearly out of step with all other regulated healthcare professions, and patients may be unknowingly at risk.” A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said other provisions given effect include giving the Dental Council the power to seek information on conviction from An Garda Síochána and certificates of conviction from the courts.
She said the regulator will also be able to publish a sanction imposed on a dentist in another country where it is in the public interest.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article and were abused in state run medical and health facilities, you can contact Dignity4Patients, whose helpline is open Monday to Thursday 10am to 4pm.
Dignity4Patients Commentary:- The urgent need for a #CommissionOfInvestigation into sexual misconduct within healthcare is clear. Ireland's healthcare regulatory bodies have been self-regulating for far too long and have failed to prioritise patient safety. The existing legislation, which dates back 40 years, is outdated and not fit for purpose. How many other medical professions are allowing unchecked individuals to interact with our children and the most vulnerable members of society?
@CarrollJennifer @roinnslainte
