Dentists in Northern Ireland are being threatened with prosecution for performing a technique used for decades to whiten patients’ teeth. An MP has warned that some practitioners have received written warnings from trading standards officers for carrying out dental bleaching using strong concentrations of hydrogen peroxide. Under European law, selling tooth-bleaching materials containing more than … Continued

The Minister for Health & Children, Mary Harney TD, has announced key steps to implement the report Building a culture of patient safety, principally focusing on the Government’s decision to prepare legislation for the licensing of healthcare providers. The Minister said: ‘The Government place great importance on the policies and practical reforms we are implementing … Continued

SDLP Fermanagh South Tyrone MLA Tommy Gallagher has spoken of his alarm after learning that a £4m drive to recruit salaried NHS dentists has only managed to employ four people. Mr Gallagher, who sits on the Assembly’s Health Committee, said provision is most needed in the west but that all four new dentists had been … Continued

Belfast dentist, Lucy Jaffa, is hosting a multi-sports race called Diamond Quest Ireland for her charity, the African Schools Trust. With thousands of pounds worth of diamonds up for grabs, drop your drills and grab your trainers for one of the most exciting races of the year. This May, hundreds of men and women from … Continued

The Taoiseach, Mr Brian Cowen TD, has announced expenditure savings through a general reduction of the order of 8% for all professional fees, including those paid to dentists. This estimated saving of €80 million across dentistry, medicine, law, pharmacy, chiropody and optical services is to help the Government reach its target of achieving €2 billion … Continued

Representatives of the Irish Dental Association (IDA) met with the Joint Committee on Health and Children on 29 January to present the dental profession’s views regarding the current oral health situation across the county. Speaking at the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas, Fintan Hourihan, CEO of the IDA, initially focused on the problems … Continued

New guidelines on the use of topical fluorides for the prevention of tooth decay in Irish children and adolescents are now available. The aim of the guidelines is to maximise the benefits from the use of topical fluorides for Irish children under the age of 16 years. The guidelines cover fluoride-containing toothpastes and mouthrinses, as … Continued