Mouth Cancer Awareness Day is Thursday September 20th 2017. Two people die every week in Ireland from the ‘silent killer’. This year the focus will be on the homeless and socially excluded groups. Dentists are volunteering to work with Simon, Peter McVerry and the Capuchin Centre.

IDA calls for 150 extra dentists to prevent collapse of service for children and special care patients and tax relief for dental costs to encourage regular visits to family dentists.

Shocking impact of cuts in state funding for dental care as Ireland faces oral health crisis. Irish Dental Association calls for urgent action.

57% of cases resolved within the calendar year. Warning on DIY orthodontic care.

The Irish Times reports that state support for dental treatment, through PRSI and medical card schemes, has fallen from a high of almost €150 million in 2009 to less than €75 million last year.

CSO figures show 57% reduction in household spending over past 5 years.

New IDA President calls for: Urgent publication of new oral health policy. Appointment of a full time Chief Dental Officer. Proportion of revenue from sugar tax to go to oral health programmes. Ring fenced funding of dental care following cuts of €500m. Staff shortages in the public dental service to be addressed.

Visit should happen before the 1st birthday. Call for schools and sports teams to stop distributing sugar containing drinks and treats. Sugar tax revenue could finance new children’s ‘first tooth, first visit’ programme.

The Irish Dental Association has criticised a decision by the Minister for Finance not to ring fence revenue raised through the introduction of a sugar tax to fund oral health promotion initiatives. The IDA had previously called for a percentage of the revenue raised from any ‘sugar tax’ to be directed towards oral healthcare programmes.