Last updated July 2026 · all courses free at the point of access
Written by Dr Sam — practising dentist, Australia, and the clinician behind this directory. About the author →
Primary source: Dental Council of Ireland — Competence (CPD) guidance. Requirements on this page are summarised from the regulator's published standards — always confirm the current rules at the source.
Ireland’s headline number looks intimidating: the Dental Council of Ireland recommends 250 hours of CPD over each five-year cycle. The minimum allocation is 100 hours of structured CPD and 150 hours of self-directed learning. Within the structured total, the Council recommends at least 50 hours in core subjects and at least 50 hours maintaining clinical skills. Averaged across the cycle, that means at least 20 structured hours a year, with the self-directed balance covered by journal reading, case discussion, personal study and similar professional activity.
Two things are worth knowing about the Irish system. First, CPD is currently an ethical obligation under Council guidance rather than a statutory requirement — new dental legislation is expected to make it mandatory, so building the habit (and the records) now is prudent. Second, since January 2020 the Council has paused its own approval of CPD activities: providers themselves confirm whether an activity meets the criteria for structured CPD. In practice, a certificated online webinar — with named attendance, provider, date and hours — is exactly the kind of evidence that stands up if you’re ever asked to demonstrate compliance.
That makes the free international webinars in this directory a very efficient way to bank structured hours: they’re certificated, clinically focused, and cost nothing. The Council also recommends keeping core areas current (medical emergencies and Basic Life Support sit alongside CPD as separate expectations), so treat BLS renewal as an addition, not a substitute. Keep every certificate, and log the self-directed reading as you go — the recording is honestly the harder half of Irish CPD.
For the requirements in full context alongside other countries, see the CPD requirements guide, and use the free CPD tracker (it has a Dental Council of Ireland preset) to log hours and export a clean record.
A workable rhythm for the Irish cycle: one certificated webinar a month banks 60 structured hours over five years, leaving 40 structured hours to cover through further webinars, hands-on training, conferences or study days. Log self-directed reading and case discussion as you go rather than reconstructing 150 hours at the end of the cycle. The 250-hour total becomes much more manageable once it is treated as a regular habit rather than a deadline — and if your practice focus changes mid-cycle, update the balance of your activities rather than starting over.
Browse certificated courses for your CPD record →A starting sample across clinical areas
- Innovative Bone Grafting Concepts and Avoiding Common Modes of Failure
- Adhesion to Ceramics and Zirconia
- Endodontic-Periodontic Lesions
- Stop Gingivitis to Help Prevent Periodontitis
- Considerations and Methods for Fabricating an All On 4 with Lingualized Occlusion
- Leveraging 3D Printing for Temporization and Enhanced Outcomes in the Esthetic Zone
- Hidden Diseases Associated with Sickle Cell Disease and the Sickle Cell Trait: Impacts on Oral Health
- Dental Anxiety: Recognition and Management
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Frequently asked questions
How many CPD hours do Irish dentists need?
The Dental Council of Ireland recommends 250 hours over each five-year cycle: a minimum of 100 structured hours and 150 self-directed hours. The structured component should include at least 50 hours in core subjects and at least 50 hours maintaining clinical skills. Averaged across the cycle, the structured minimum is 20 hours a year.
Is CPD legally mandatory for dentists in Ireland?
Not yet in the statutory sense. Under current Council guidance CPD is an ethical obligation — the Council describes it as obligatory for all registered dentists — and updated dental legislation is expected to put it on a statutory footing. Practically, treat it as mandatory now: building the records habit early costs nothing and protects you when the law changes.
What counts as structured versus self-directed CPD?
Structured CPD is organised learning you can verify: courses, webinars, conferences and study days with evidence of attendance — a certificate with your name, the provider, the date and the hours. Self-directed learning is everything else you do to stay current: journal reading, case review, clinical audit, peer discussion. The free certificated webinars in this directory sit squarely in the structured column.
Do free international online courses count toward Irish CPD?
Generally yes for the structured component, provided the activity is relevant to your practice and properly evidenced. Since January 2020 the Council no longer approves individual CPD activities itself — providers give the assurances — so a certificated webinar from a recognised international education provider is exactly the kind of documentation that stands up.
Do I need to submit my CPD record to the Dental Council?
There’s no routine annual submission, but you should be able to produce your record if asked. Keep every certificate and a running log of self-directed hours — the free CPDCE tracker (which includes an Ireland preset) exports a clean dated record for exactly this.