From Lisbon to Limerick: My First Year Working as a Dentist in Ireland

I wrote this to help colleagues who are weighing a move to Ireland. It is not a sales pitch. It is the diary I wish I had read before I packed my boxes. Where I use hard numbers, I cite public sources, so you can check them for yourself. Average weekly earnings, public pay scales, and the size of the dental register all informed my decisions. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Why I chose Ireland in 2025

I am an EU graduate with six years in general practice. By early 2025 I felt stuck on routine checkups and small fillings. I wanted a busier book with more endo and cosmetic cases, plus a path into short term ortho. Friends kept sharing Irish adverts that looked promising, and the macro picture seemed supportive. The Central Statistics Office reported that average weekly earnings reached about €1,026 in Q1 2025 and passed €1,015 in Q2 on the preliminary release. A healthy wage backdrop usually aligns with private demand for dental care. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Understanding the public and private options

I compared two tracks. Public HSE roles felt stable and transparent. The HSE pay tables also show sessional rates for private dental surgeons providing clinics under HSE arrangements, which gave me a useful floor to benchmark against. Private clinics, on the other hand, quoted a day rate for the first month, then a percentage on production once the book grew. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

Registration steps I followed

As an EU dentist I applied through the Dental Council route and spent more time than expected pulling together confirmations, proof of good standing, and translations. While I was collecting documents, I tracked the Dental Council site and noticed the council election updates in October. That gave me confidence that I was checking the right place for governance and policy notes. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Market signals that reassured me

Two public indicators stood out. First, parliamentary answers put the number of dentists on the register at 3,888 by June 2025, which confirmed an expanding workforce. Second, a health systems analysis citing OECD data reported 2,420 practising dentists in 2022. Different definitions, same story. Ireland has room to grow in dentist density, which often translates into strong hiring. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

How I shortlisted jobs

I wanted a mixed private role with scope in endo and cosmetic dentistry, in a city with reasonable rent. Dublin was tempting, but clinics in Cork and Limerick offered clearer mentoring plans and faster list growth. I kept one eye on public data, one eye on adverts, and one on salary snapshots. Job boards showed dentist averages near €97k, with associate dentists higher on a smaller sample. These are indicative figures, but they helped during negotiation. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

The interview loop

The process was friendly and fast. Three clinics interviewed me within a week. Each wanted to know how I present treatment plans and how I manage an hour that falls apart when an emergency case arrives. The best conversation came from a Limerick practice that talked through diary protection and hygiene handovers in detail. They explained how they track cancellations and what success looks like by week twelve.

The offer I accepted

Month one: the ramp up

The learning curve was steep. I underestimated the number of new patient assessments after Easter and the admin behind consent notes. The team had a clear split of duties and that saved me. Reception managed recalls with energy, nurses prepped rooms efficiently, and the treatment coordinator walked patients through finance and next steps.

Month two to three: moving to percentage

By week seven I crossed the utilisation threshold. That is when you feel the private model kick in. Fewer no shows, better case acceptance, and a diary that starts to look stable. I still asked the senior associate to shadow my first two molar endo cases to keep quality high.

What surprised me about costs and income

I had expected Dublin level rents, but Limerick gave me more value. My first quarter earnings landed close to the dentist average posted on the national job board snapshot once I moved to percentage. It is only one data point, so do not over index on my experience. Always sanity check your assumptions against the market snapshots and the HSE scales for context. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}

Public sector comparison I kept in my back pocket

Even though I joined a private clinic, I kept the HSE tables printed. The sessional rates for clinics, and the consolidated scales, were helpful in framing discussions about value and time. If you are the type who wants a pension and clear increments, the public route is worth a serious look. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}

Patients and procedures

The case mix was a good fit. Routine restorative filled the mornings. Afternoons tended to bring in endo assessments, extractions, and occasional cosmetic consultations. The clinic encouraged me to present phased plans with clear outcomes and realistic time frames, which kept satisfaction high.

What went wrong and how we fixed it

My biggest mistake was underestimating the paperwork time in the first two weeks. Notes took me longer than they should have. I solved this by batching admin before lunch and at the end of the day. I also rehearsed explanations of aligner pathways so that I was not searching for words while patients were waiting.

Support that mattered

Mentoring in the first month helped more than any single perk. It was not formal training, just a senior associate who looked over my shoulder during tricky consent conversations. That is where a good clinic shines. They protect your time so you can protect patient outcomes.

Checking the wider context

I still follow national indicators. Earnings reports give a sense of consumer confidence, which matters in private dentistry. The Q2 2025 preliminary figure at about €1,015 weekly supported the feeling inside the practice that demand would hold through summer. I also keep an eye on the Department of Enterprise pages that govern employment permits for colleagues from outside the EU. Rules change and it is better to know early. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}

Would I recommend the move

Yes, with realistic expectations. Ireland is busy, but success is not automatic. Choose a clinic that shows you the ramp up plan and will let you shadow early cases. Compare private offers with HSE scales, and read the small print on percentages and lab fees. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}

One place to start

I found most interviews through specialist listings and a few direct approaches. If you want a single page to begin your search, this hub of live roles is a simple way to benchmark what is out there:
Dentist jobs in Ireland.

Key takeaways for colleagues

• Track national earnings to understand demand signals. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}
• Use HSE pay tables as a floor when evaluating private offers. :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}
• Confirm mentoring, diary protection, and hygiene handovers before you sign.
• If you are overseas, follow the permit lists and plan timelines early. :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}
• Check the Dental Council site for registration guidance and updates. :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}