Dentist

As a dentist you examine, diagnose and treat conditions affecting teeth, gums, the mouth and surrounding structures. Your daily work includes carrying out fillings, extractions, root canal treatments, fitting crowns and bridges, and performing preventive care such as scale-and-polish procedures. You administer local anaesthesia, interpret dental X-rays, and refer patients to specialist services such as orthodontics or oral surgery when required. You work closely with dental nurses, dental hygienists and receptionists, and in some settings you collaborate with hospital consultants, GPs and speech and language therapists. Accurate record-keeping — including records for dental prostheses and treatment plans — is a core part of every working day.

Entry to dentistry in Ireland requires the Leaving Certificate with strong results in Chemistry and Biology at Higher level, with Mathematics and English also important. You apply through the CAO and must sit the HPAT (Health Professions Admission Test); competition for places is intense and high points are typically required. The Bachelor in Dental Science (BDS) is a five-year NFQ Level 8 degree offered at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and University College Cork (UCC). On graduating you must register with the Dental Council of Ireland before you can practise; this is a statutory requirement under the Dentists Act. Some graduates go on to pursue postgraduate specialisation (NFQ Level 9 or higher) in areas such as orthodontics, periodontics or oral surgery through hospital training programmes or university masters courses. There is no PLC or apprenticeship route into dentistry; the BDS is the required qualification.