Pringle calls on Government to consider funding a dental school in the northwest

By Thomas Pringle
Updated: 23rd May 2024

Independent TD for Donegal, Thomas Pringle, has called on Government to fund a dental school in the northwest, saying Atlantic Technological University has successfully launched many new courses.

Addressing the Dáil today, Deputy Pringle said: “I understand that there were plans for a new dental school, which has been paused due to funding constraints. Funding for this school needs to be prioritised, but the government should also be looking at funding more dental schools throughout the country, given this dental crisis.

“I would urge the government to consider funding for a dental school in the northwest. There is no way that we can address the severe recruitment and retention issues in the public dental sector, particularly in rural areas, without the establishment of a dental school in the northwest.

“ATU has successfully launched many new courses for students since its establishment two years ago and it has made education so much more accessible for many in the west of Ireland.

“ATU should be supported in establishing a dental school to address the significant staff shortages and clinic closures that we are seeing throughout the northwest and to help alleviate the current burden on the public dental service,” he said.

The deputy was speaking in support of the Social Democrats Motion re Dentistry Services and said he supported its calls on Government to expand the capacity of public dental services for children and special care patients, reform the Dental Treatment Service Scheme, publish the Dentists Bill and address funding and capacity issues in dental education provision.

Deputy Pringle said: “There is an ever-lengthening waiting list for vital dental treatments, as well as school screenings, yet there has been a significant decline in the number of dentists, as well as the number of oral hygienists and dental nurses available.

“The number of dentists has dropped by almost one quarter over the past 15 years and the Irish Dental Association has stated that at least 500 dentists are needed across the private sector and public service immediately because of the growing population and to replace those dentists who are due to retire.” He said reports have shown that Ireland has the fewest dentists out of 24 European countries and was bottom of a table measuring the proportion of general dentists to population.

Deputy Pringle said: “It is clear that Ireland is lagging behind significantly and this is affecting many Irish people who are finding it extremely hard to access necessary dental care.

“A survey carried out by the Irish Dental Association in 2023 showed that one in six patients were waiting over three months for a routine appointment with their dentist, while more than half were facing delays of longer than three months for specialist care, including orthodontic and oral surgery.

“It has also been reported that less than half of children who should be seen under the school screening programme are actually seen, with children in some parts of the country facing a 10-year backlog in accessing the school dental screening programme.”

“This cannot be allowed to continue. It is in the interest of all Irish people, particularly children, for this backlog to be addressed urgently.” However he said, there is no way to address this without addressing the fact that the two existing dental schools, at UCC and Trinity, produce 80 dentists a year, with about half of those coming from abroad and returning home once they graduate.

The deputy concluded: “The government needs to take drastic action and consider the solutions put forward by the opposition today but also the Government has to make more places available and make more schools providing dentistry.”