Publicly financed dental services in the Republic of Ireland: oral examinations user profile

Recent improvements in Irish oral health, together with Ireland’s ageing and growing population, have highlighted the need to reform dental services. A new National Oral Health policy (NOHP), “Smile agus Sláinte” was introduced by the Department of Health in 2019 to address these challenges. The development of a national database of oral healthcare measures is a key part of the new NOHP. This article describes how data from the HSE National Dental Record and Information System (NDRIS), combined with data from existing sources, has allowed us to develop an age-specific profile of those availing of publicly financed oral examinations. The analysis provides the most complete picture to date of those availing of publicly financed dental services in the Republic of Ireland.