(LRC Revised)

Number 9 of 1985

DENTISTS ACT 1985

REVISED

Updated to 6 May 2025

Changes to legislation

as of 10 July 2026, this Act is up to date with all changes known to be in force.

This Revised Act is an administrative

consolidation of the

Dentists Act 1985

. It is prepared by the Law Reform

Commission in accordance with its function under the

Law Reform Commission Act

1975

(3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and

consolidation of statute law.

All Acts up to and including the

Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (Amendment) Act 2025

(3/2025), enacted 15 April 2025, and all statutory instruments up to and including

the

Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Act 2020 (Commencement

of Certain Provisions) Order 2025

(S.I. No. 151 of 2025), made 30 April 2025, were considered in the preparation of

this

Revised Act.

Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act,

the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees,

undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature

of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from

any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email

to

revisedacts@lawreform.ie.

Number

9

of

1985

DENTISTS ACT 1985

REVISED

Updated to 6 May 2025

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

PART I

Preliminary and General

Section

1.

Short title.

2.

Interpretation.

3.

Commencement.

4.

Establishment day.

5.

Repeals.

PART II

The Dental Council

6.

Establishment of the Dental Council.

7.

Dissolution of Dental Board.

8.

Seal of Council.

9.

Membership of Council.

10.

Appointment of persons to be members of Council.

11.

Election of members of Council.

12.

First meeting of Council.

13.

Committees of Council.

14.

Expenses of members of Council and committees.

15.

Removal of Council from office.

16.

The Registrar.

17.

Other officers and servants of Council.

18.

Age limits.

19.

Superannuation.

20.

Membership of either House of Oireachtas or of Assembly of the European Communities

by officer or servant of Council.

21.

Accounts of Council.

22.

Power of Council to borrow.

23.

Acceptance of gifts by Council.

24.

Expenses of Council and Minister.

25.

Fees.

25A.

Council’s power to make rules.

26A.

Recognition of qualification held by person.

26B.

Recognition of qualification for register.

26C.

Recognition of qualification for Register of Dental Specialists.

26D.

Application to be registered in register.

26E.

Application to be registered in Register of Dental Specialists.

26F.

Notification of relevant decisions under section 26A, 26D or 26E, etc.

PART III

Registration

26.

Establishment of register.

27.

Persons entitled to be

registered in register.

(

Repealed

)

28.

Temporary registration.

29.

The Register of Dental Specialists.

30.

Persons entitled to be

registered in Register of Dental Specialists.

(

Repealed

)

31.

Registration of additional qualifications.

32.

Application by registered dentist to have name removed from register.

32A.

Declarations by registered dentists in relation to certain matters in State or other

jurisdictions, etc.

33.

Correction of registers.

33A.

Council may request certain information concerning registered dentists from certain

bodies in State or other jurisdictions.

PART IV

Education and Training

34.

Duties of Council in relation to education and training.

35.

Functions of Council in relation to Directives adopted by Council of the European

Communities as to education and training.

36.

Primary qualifications.

37.

Training bodies and qualifications for purposes of the Register of Dental Specialists.

PART V

Fitness to Practise

38.

Inquiry by Fitness to Practise Committee into conduct of a registered dentist.

39.

Erasure or suspension from register for professional misconduct, unfitness to practise

or failure to pay retention fee.

40.

Attaching of conditions to retention on register.

41.

Powers of Council to advise, admonish, etc.

42.

Erasure from register of persons convicted of indictable offences.

43.

Continuance of existing inquiry.

44.

Application by Council for order suspending registration.

45.

Privilege in respect of certain matters.

46.

Erasure or suspension from and restoration to the Register of Dental Specialists.

47.

Notification to Minister of name erased or restored and of suspensions imposed and

terminated.

47A.

Information Council may publish in public interest.

48.

Restoration to register of name removed, or termination of suspension imposed, for

non-payment of retention fee.

PART VI

Restrictions on Practice of Dentistry

49.

Descriptions of registered persons.

50.

Prohibition on use of titles by unregistered persons.

51.

Prohibition on practice of dentistry by unregistered persons.

52.

Prohibition on practice of dentistry by bodies corporate.

PART VII

Auxiliary Dental Workers

53.

Creation of classes of auxiliary dental workers.

54.

Restriction on employment of auxiliary dental workers.

55.

Creation of classes of auxiliary dental workers by direction of Minister.

PART VIII

Miscellaneous

56.

Arrangements with persons to assist Council.

57.

Report by Council.

58.

Publication of registers.

59.

Construction of references to registered dentists.

60.

Functions in relation to Directives adopted by Council of the European Communities.

61.

Assignment to Council of additional functions.

62.

References in enactments etc. to Dental Board.

63.

Regulations.

64.

Regulations regarding adaptations.

65.

Continuance in force of agreement.

66.

General advisory functions of Council.

67.

Offences in relation to registers.

67A.

Admissibility of certain documents relating to proceedings in State or other jurisdictions.

68.

Prosecution of offences.

69.

Special measures registration having regard to Covid-19.

70.

Power to specify form of documents.

71.

Notifications under Act.

FIRST SCHEDULE

Rules in relation to membership and meetings of An Chomhairle

Fiaclóireachta (The Dental Council)

SECOND SCHEDULE

Primary Qualifications

Acts Referred to

Dentists Act 1928

1928, No. 25

Dentists (Amendment) Act

1983

1983, No. 30

Finance Act 1895

58 & 59 Vic. c. 16

Health Act 1970

1970, No. 1

Local Government (Superannuation) Act

1956

1956, No. 10

Local Government (Superannuation) Act

1980

1980, No. 8

Medical Practitioners Act

1978

1978, No. 4

Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act 1851

1851, c. 93

Number

9

of

1985

DENTISTS ACT 1985

REVISED

Updated to 6 May 2025

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE

ESTABLISHMENT OF A COUNCIL TO BE KNOWN AS AN CHOMHAIRLE FIACLÓIREACHTA OR IN THE

ENGLISH LANGUAGE THE DENTAL COUNCIL WHICH SHALL PROVIDE FOR THE REGISTRATION AND CONTROL

OF

PERSONS ENGAGED IN THE PRACTICE OF DENTISTRY AND TO PROVIDE FOR OTHER MATTERS RELATING

TO

THE PRACTICE OF DENTISTRY AND THE PERSONS ENGAGED IN SUCH PRACTICE AND TO PROVIDE

FOR THE

REPEAL OF THE

DENTISTS ACT 1928

, AND THE

DENTISTS (AMENDMENT) ACT 1983

, AND TO PROVIDE FOR OTHER

MATTERS CONNECTED WITH THE MATTERS AFORESAID. [11

th May

, 1985]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS

Annotations

Modifications (not altering

text)

C1

Functions under Act

transferred and specified bodies dissolved (1.01.2005) by

Health Act 2004

(42/2004), ss. 58, 59 and sch. 3 item 36, S.I. No. 885 of 2004, subject to

transitional provisions in s. 74 and sch. 5.

Dissolution of health

boards and other specified bodies.

58.

—The

specified bodies are, by this Act, dissolved on the establishment day.

Transfer of functions of

specified bodies to Executive.

59.

—(1) The

functions that, immediately before the establishment day, were the functions of a

specified body under or in connection with the enactments referred to in Schedule

3 are, by this Act, transferred to the Executive on that day.

(2) If a provision of an

enactment referred to in Schedule 3, or a provision of an instrument made under

such enactment, does not come into effect until on or after the establishment day,

a function that on the passing of that enactment or the making of that instrument

was assigned under or in connection with that provision to a specified body is, by

this Act, transferred to the Executive on the commencement of that provision.

(3) The functions

transferred by this Act to the Executive include the functions specified in any

enactment referred to in Schedule 3 as a function of the following

(

a

) the chief executive

officer of a health board;

(

b

) the Regional Chief

Executive of the Eastern Regional Health Authority;

(

c

) the area chief

executive of an Area Health Board.

...

SCHEDULE THREE

Transfer of Functions and

References to Functional Areas

Section 59

and

67

.

...

36. Dentist Act 1985

...

Annotations

Modifications (not altering

text)

C1

Functions under Act

transferred and specified bodies dissolved (1.01.2005) by

Health Act 2004

(42/2004), ss. 58, 59 and sch. 3 item 36, S.I. No. 885 of 2004, subject to

transitional provisions in s. 74 and sch. 5.

Dissolution of health

boards and other specified bodies.

58.

—The

specified bodies are, by this Act, dissolved on the establishment day.

Transfer of functions of

specified bodies to Executive.

59.

—(1) The

functions that, immediately before the establishment day, were the functions of a

specified body under or in connection with the enactments referred to in Schedule

3 are, by this Act, transferred to the Executive on that day.

(2) If a provision of an

enactment referred to in Schedule 3, or a provision of an instrument made under

such enactment, does not come into effect until on or after the establishment day,

a function that on the passing of that enactment or the making of that instrument

was assigned under or in connection with that provision to a specified body is, by

this Act, transferred to the Executive on the commencement of that provision.

(3) The functions

transferred by this Act to the Executive include the functions specified in any

enactment referred to in Schedule 3 as a function of the following

(

a

) the chief executive

officer of a health board;

(

b

) the Regional Chief

Executive of the Eastern Regional Health Authority;

(

c

) the area chief

executive of an Area Health Board.

...

SCHEDULE THREE

Transfer of Functions and

References to Functional Areas

Section 59

and

67

.

...

36. Dentist Act 1985

...

PART I

Preliminary and General

Section

1.

Short title.

2.

Interpretation.

3.

Commencement.

4.

Establishment day.

5.

Repeals.

PART II

The Dental Council

6.

Establishment of the Dental Council.

7.

Dissolution of Dental Board.

8.

Seal of Council.

9.

Membership of Council.

10.

Appointment of persons to be members of Council.

11.

Election of members of Council.

12.

First meeting of Council.

13.

Committees of Council.

14.

Expenses of members of Council and committees.

15.

Removal of Council from office.

16.

The Registrar.

17.

Other officers and servants of Council.

18.

Age limits.

19.

Superannuation.

20.

Membership of either House of Oireachtas or of Assembly of the European Communities

by officer or servant of Council.

21.

Accounts of Council.

22.

Power of Council to borrow.

23.

Acceptance of gifts by Council.

24.

Expenses of Council and Minister.

25.

Fees.

25A.

Council’s power to make rules.

26A.

Recognition of qualification held by person.

26B.

Recognition of qualification for register.

26C.

Recognition of qualification for Register of Dental Specialists.

26D.

Application to be registered in register.

26E.

Application to be registered in Register of Dental Specialists.

26F.

Notification of relevant decisions under section 26A, 26D or 26E, etc.

PART III

Registration

26.

Establishment of register.

27.

Persons entitled to be

registered in register.

(

Repealed

)

28.

Temporary registration.

29.

The Register of Dental Specialists.

30.

Persons entitled to be

registered in Register of Dental Specialists.

(

Repealed

)

31.

Registration of additional qualifications.

32.

Application by registered dentist to have name removed from register.

32A.

Declarations by registered dentists in relation to certain matters in State or other

jurisdictions, etc.

33.

Correction of registers.

33A.

Council may request certain information concerning registered dentists from certain

bodies in State or other jurisdictions.

PART IV

Education and Training

34.

Duties of Council in relation to education and training.

35.

Functions of Council in relation to Directives adopted by Council of the European

Communities as to education and training.

36.

Primary qualifications.

37.

Training bodies and qualifications for purposes of the Register of Dental Specialists.

PART V

Fitness to Practise

38.

Inquiry by Fitness to Practise Committee into conduct of a registered dentist.

39.

Erasure or suspension from register for professional misconduct, unfitness to practise

or failure to pay retention fee.

40.

Attaching of conditions to retention on register.

41.

Powers of Council to advise, admonish, etc.

42.

Erasure from register of persons convicted of indictable offences.

43.

Continuance of existing inquiry.

44.

Application by Council for order suspending registration.

45.

Privilege in respect of certain matters.

46.

Erasure or suspension from and restoration to the Register of Dental Specialists.

47.

Notification to Minister of name erased or restored and of suspensions imposed and

terminated.

47A.

Information Council may publish in public interest.

48.

Restoration to register of name removed, or termination of suspension imposed, for

non-payment of retention fee.

PART VI

Restrictions on Practice of Dentistry

49.

Descriptions of registered persons.

50.

Prohibition on use of titles by unregistered persons.

51.

Prohibition on practice of dentistry by unregistered persons.

52.

Prohibition on practice of dentistry by bodies corporate.

PART VII

Auxiliary Dental Workers

53.

Creation of classes of auxiliary dental workers.

54.

Restriction on employment of auxiliary dental workers.

55.

Creation of classes of auxiliary dental workers by direction of Minister.

PART VIII

Miscellaneous

56.

Arrangements with persons to assist Council.

57.

Report by Council.

58.

Publication of registers.

59.

Construction of references to registered dentists.

60.

Functions in relation to Directives adopted by Council of the European Communities.

61.

Assignment to Council of additional functions.

62.

References in enactments etc. to Dental Board.

63.

Regulations.

64.

Regulations regarding adaptations.

65.

Continuance in force of agreement.

66.

General advisory functions of Council.

67.

Offences in relation to registers.

67A.

Admissibility of certain documents relating to proceedings in State or other jurisdictions.

68.

Prosecution of offences.

69.

Special measures registration having regard to Covid-19.

70.

Power to specify form of documents.

71.

Notifications under Act.

FIRST SCHEDULE

Rules in relation to membership and meetings of An Chomhairle

Fiaclóireachta (The Dental Council)

SECOND SCHEDULE

Primary Qualifications

Number

9

of

1985