Dear member,

Further to the notice regarding the Annual General Meetings for the Irish Dental Union and the Irish Dental Association to take place on Thursday, April 16th at the Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork, I write to invite you to consider becoming involved as a member of our Council and  to consider submitting a motion for debate at the AGMs.

The AGM of the Irish Dental Union, which commences at 6pm on Thursday, April 16th offers a chance to debate issues relating to the remuneration, employment or terms / conditions of employment for dentists, whether they are employed by a state agency such as the HSE or hold a contract for treating medical card or PRSI-eligible patients. Members are also entitled to submit motions relating to the operation of the Union, its structure or its organisation, for example.

To submit a motion, please complete and return this IDU AGM motion to IDA House by March 11th, 2015. If you wish to receive assistance in preparing a motion then please do not hesitate to contact IDA House.

The AGM of the Irish Dental Association takes place immediately after the Union’s AGM and focusses on education, science, advocacy and publishing activities. The AGM offers a chance to debate issues around the practice of dentistry, dental education / science or advocacy as well as a chance to debate the operation of the Association, its structure or its organisation. Again, to submit a motion, please complete and return this form to IDA House by March 11th, 2015.

Finally, we would ask you to consider becoming involved as a member of our Council. Council is the primary consultative forum on all issues whether they are issues proper to the Union or indeed to the Association.

A list of the current Council membership is set out here while you can read more about how it operates here. There are four vacancies to be filled at the AGM as follows: two representatives of general practice (this is open to any dentist in general practice whether they are practice-owners, partners or associates and regardless of whether they work full-time or part-time. Dentists who have trained outside Ireland are also eligible and welcome to participate), one representative of Specialists in Orthodontic practice and one other position which is open to any member.

If you’d like to learn more about what’s involved in becoming a member of Council – it tends to meet five times a year – then again please do not hesitate to contact IDA House or we can put you in touch with a serving or past member of Council also if you’d prefer. To be nominated as a GP rep, please complete and return this form, to be nominated as an Orthodontist representative please complete and return this form, to be considered for election to the reserved place for elected members please complete and return this form.

The opportunity to contribute to debate on issues of concern to you and the profession is an important benefit of membership and the chance to get involved as a Council member in shaping the future of dentistry is also a terrific way to have a say. Everyone who has served has said they have found it an enriching experience and has provided them with so much more than they put in, so please give every consideration to making your voice heard.

 

Yours sincerely,
 

Fintan Hourihan

Chief Executive,

Irish Dental Association / Irish Dental Union