Ireland Proposes Legislation to Mandate Continuing Professional Development Training for Dentists

Image source: Official website of the Irish government

DentalGoodNews｜On August 7, 2026, the Irish Department of Health announced that the Irish Government has formally approved the General Scheme of the Dentists (Amendment) Bill. This legislation establishes, for the first time, a statutory basis for continuing professional development (CPD) for dentists, aiming to ensure practitioners' professional competence through legal enforcement and align dental regulatory standards with those of other regulated healthcare professions in the country.

Under the current Dentists Act 1985, CPD participation among Irish dentists has long relied on practitioners' professional conscientiousness. The Department of Health noted that while most dentists currently participate in relevant training voluntarily, dentistry remains one of the regulated healthcare professions in Ireland without a statutory CPD requirement. This legislative amendment will fill the long-standing institutional gap in mandatory CPD requirements within the dental sector.

The new regulations propose granting the Dental Council of Ireland broader regulatory powers. Once the legislation takes effect, the Council will be empowered to proactively take regulatory action against registered dentists who fail to meet continuing training requirements, without waiting for a formal "Fitness to Practise" complaint procedure to be initiated. The legislation also proposes establishing statutory obligations for continuing training providers.

Irish Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill stated that the quality of healthcare services depends on professionals continuously updating their knowledge and skills. She noted that establishing a statutory foundation for CPD helps ensure dentists maintain professional competence, deliver safe and high-quality services to patients, and align Irish dental practice with international standards.

The Dental Council of Ireland has also expressed support for advancing the legislation. In March this year, the Council wrote to Pádraig Rice, Chair of the Health Committee, pointing out that the absence of a mandatory competence oversight mechanism could constitute "a significant risk to public safety," and stating that broad consensus has formed within the profession to establish a statutory competence scheme. The Council believes the new scheme should apply equally to all registered dentists and allow practitioners to develop professional development pathways based on their current scope of practice, prior training experience, and patient safety needs.

Currently, the Irish Government has authorized the Department of Health to proceed with the formal drafting of the legislation. This amendment will provide a statutory foundation for dental CPD requirements, marking the first time in the 40 years since the Dentists Act 1985 that dental CPD standards will be aligned with those of other regulated healthcare professions.