Ireland Moves to Make Continuing Professional Development Mandatory for Dentists

Proposed changes to the Dentists Act would give the Dental Council new powers to oversee professional development and respond directly to non-compliance

Dentists in Ireland are set to face statutory Continuing Professional Development requirements under proposed legislation approved for further development by the Government.

Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD has received Government approval for the General Scheme of the Dentists (Amendment) Bill, which would establish a legal basis for Continuing Professional Development, or CPD, within the dental profession.

The planned reform would amend the Dentists Act 1985 and bring the regulation of dentists more closely into line with arrangements applying to other healthcare professions. The Government says the changes are intended to strengthen patient safety and maintain public confidence in professional standards.

Dental Council would gain new enforcement powers

A significant element of the proposal is the expanded role envisaged for the Dental Council.

Under the proposed framework, the regulator would be able to address failures to meet CPD requirements proactively rather than having to wait for a Fitness to Practise complaint before concerns could be considered through formal regulatory processes.

The legislation would also establish a clearer framework setting out the respective responsibilities and powers of dentists, employers and the regulator in relation to ongoing professional development.

The policy underpinning the Bill was developed following consultation with stakeholders and received Cabinet approval in December 2025. That policy has since formed the basis for the General Scheme.

Professional development to move onto statutory footing

Continuing Professional Development is intended to ensure practitioners maintain and develop their knowledge and professional skills throughout their careers.

While many dentists already participate in professional development as part of their own professional responsibilities, placing CPD on a statutory footing would give the Dental Council a formal mechanism for overseeing compliance.

The proposed changes are also designed to recognise dentists’ existing ethical responsibilities and commitment to lifelong professional learning rather than treating professional development solely as an enforcement matter.

Minister Carroll MacNeill said healthcare services depended on professionals being supported in maintaining and improving their skills.

“Our health service depends on professionals who are fully supported to maintain and enhance their knowledge and skills, and who are empowered to work to the highest standards of their profession.”

She said statutory CPD requirements would help dentists remain informed about developments in their field while supporting the delivery of safe and high-quality patient care in line with international practice.

Focus on patient safety and public confidence

The Government’s case for the legislation centres on providing greater regulatory assurance that dentists continue to maintain appropriate professional standards throughout their careers.

By introducing a defined statutory system, the proposed Bill would allow the regulator to intervene where CPD obligations are not being met without relying on a separate complaint about a dentist’s fitness to practise.

The planned amendment therefore represents a shift from a primarily reactive approach towards more routine regulatory oversight of ongoing professional development.

If enacted, the legislation would create Ireland’s first statutory CPD framework specifically for dentists under the Dentists Act, establishing formal obligations for practitioners alongside corresponding responsibilities for employers and the Dental Council.