Dental outreach centre plan will deliver 'limited increases in domestic student places'

Each year, there is huge interest in studying dentistry, with college course entry determined by exceptionally high CAO points. File picture

A "promising” proposal to establish a dental outreach centre in Cork's northside would deliver limited increases in domestic student places, the Department of Further and Higher Education believes.

Discussions are currently ongoing to progress a proposal by University College Cork (UCC) to establish a dental outreach centre in Blackpool.

The university sought €4.7m from the department to establish the training centre, the Dáil heard this week.

However, while the department received a “strong proposal”, UCC currently admits 50 dentistry students annually, including 25 non-EU students.

“This outreach centre would increase this number to 60,” said minister of State Marian Harkin.

"Furthermore, the proposal allows for additional dental hygienist and dental nursing places in UCC,” she added.

“While the programme, the proposal is promising, it currently delivers limited increases in domestic student places.” 

There's a clear opportunity for the Departments of Higher Education and Health to collaborate further to maximise investment and expand domestic training capacity to meet Ireland's dental workforce needs, she said.

Discussions are currently ongoing with “a view to maximising Irish and EU places to obtain value for money in this proposal”, she added.

Ms Harkin was responding to Fine Gael TD Colm Burke, who had raised the issue of the lack of training places for dental students.

Each year, there is huge interest in studying dentistry, with college course entry determined by exceptionally high CAO points.

However, despite major increases in the population, the number of dental school places has failed to increase significantly.

"I do understand that the Royal College of Surgeons are going to take in extra people in 2026 and 2027, but that still does not deal with the issue which we currently have in the service," Mr Burke said. 

"There are now barely 600 dentists actively participating in the medical card scheme. 

"Three, four years ago, there were over 1,200 dentists working — privately, also doing public work as well, and they've now all left.

"With less than 600 dentists actively providing public care, that's equivalent to one dentist for 2,500 eligible patients. 

"The huge exodus from the scheme is forcing patients to travel further to see dentists and to wait longer for appointments." 

Meanwhile, the country has not increased the number of places available in third-level colleges, Mr Burke added. 

"We need to deal with it, and we need to deal with it before the start of the academic year in September 2026." 

Ms Harkin said until this year, approximately 60 places were available each year to Irish and EU students on dentistry courses. 

"My department recognises that this represents a limited training pipeline at a time when the demand for oral health care, both clinical and preventative, is increasing nationally."