3 minute read
ASSOCIATION NEWS
Dr Caroline Robins
IDA President
Time to meet and air our views
While there have been no developments on the serious issues affecting the profession, the IDA is planning a series of regional meetings to keep members informed, and gauge their views.
As the summer continues, we are unfortunately no closer to resolving the issues currently of concern to the profession. We are still awaiting a date for the commencement of talks on the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS), and on the PRSI scheme, and there has as yet been no resolution of the VAT issue. Meanwhile, the crises we face show no sign of abating. The number of practitioners operating a DTSS contract continues to fall. The allocation of additional funding to the Scheme, while welcome, only serves to demonstrate that the Scheme itself is failing to a degree that cannot be solved by funding alone.
Without sufficient practitioners to meet patient need, and without an overhaul of the Scheme to reflect modern, preventive dentistry, its collapse is inevitable, with catastrophic consequences for patients. The staffing crisis is also continuing, with seemingly no end in sight. The IDA recently met with representatives from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) to discuss the issue and I welcome their commitment to finding solutions. Dean of the RCSI’s Faculty of Dentistry, Prof. Albert Leung, has written an article on the issue in this edition (see page 184), and I urge you to read it.
We want to hear from you
As we try to address these issues as a profession and an Association, we need you, our members to get involved and make your voice heard. The Association has organised a series of regional meetings for dentists in private practice, which will provide vital updates on all of these issues. Members will be briefed and consulted in regard to negotiations expected to commence shortly in regard to the DTSS and also the latest information on roll-out of the Smile agus Sláinte oral health policy, and the timetable for new dental legislation, which is expected to provide for mandatory CPD and dental practice inspections. Details of the meetings are set out below:
Cork: Wednesday, September 13, Rochestown Park Hotel, 6.30pm Limerick: Tuesday, September 14, Strand Hotel, 6.30pm Sligo: Tuesday, September 27, Radisson Blu, Sligo, 6.30pm Galway: Wednesday, September 28, Connacht Hotel, 6.30pm Dublin: Thursday, September 29, Radison Blu, Golden Lane, Dublin 2, 6.30pm Kilkenny: Tuesday, October 4, Hotel Kilkenny, 6.30pm Portlaoise: Wednesday, October 12, Midlands Park Hotel, 6.30pm Killarney: Friday, October 21, Hotel Europe, 4.00pm
I sincerely hope you will be able to join us at one of these meetings. We need to hear your views on all of these issues, to inform our approach as we enter talks that could have a huge impact on the future of dentistry.
In-person celebrations
I was honoured to make my first ever visit to the Cork School of Dentistry recently to present the IDA Award at the School’s prizegiving ceremony and to address the graduating class. It was wonderful to see these events happening in person once again, and to reconnect with the Dean of the School, Prof. Christine McCreary. I share the disappointment and frustration of faculty and students however at the delays in starting work on the new Dental School. At this moment in time, as we call for an increase in student numbers in dentistry, it is more important than ever that this project should go ahead. I am also grateful to my predecessor as President, Dr Clodagh McAllister, who represented the Association at the Dublin Dental School’s prizegiving event.
IDA centenary
The build-up to the IDA centenary in 2023 has begun, with a range of events and initiatives at the planning stages. This is obviously a huge event in the profession’s history, and is something exciting and positive to look forward to in the new year. Watch out for further information on centenary events, in the Journal and throughout all IDA communications. I look forward to meeting many of you at the celebrations.
