Dr Kirsten Fitzgerald

I am a Consultant Paediatric Dentist at Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin and the Dublin Dental University Hospital.  My work is principally with children of high medical complexity, and I consider it an enormous privilege to look after Ireland’s most vulnerable children alongside colleagues in the subspecialities of paediatric medicine.

Although I am heavily involved in a very niche area of clinical dentistry, I have broad experience of dental clinical environments, having worked in HSE, private practice and hospitals. Currently, I am working with the IDA towards recognition of the dental specialities, and I support further strengthening of auxiliary dental workers’ scope within the clinical team. My husband Chris Hogg is a general dentist with a small practice, so I also have a good appreciation of the struggles and stresses of running a business and the effort required to get the right care for patients of all ages with additional needs.

I qualified in dentistry at TCD in 2000, and completed specialty training in paediatric dentistry and a Master’s degree in Dallas, Texas in 2007. Following Clinical Fellowship, I took up a Consultant post in 2010. I am a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry (ABPD), and a Fellow of the RCSI. I am heavily involved in postgraduate training and have examined extensively for the ABPD and at Intercollegiate Specialty Fellowship level. Maintaining links with the Dallas programme has been hugely personally fulfilling, but more importantly has nurtured an outstanding training pathway for Irish graduates who wish to pursue paediatric dentistry as a career.

To complement my clinical training, I later undertook a Certificate in Autism Studies at University College Cork, and a HSE Leadership Academy Award. These helped me focus on strategic and courageous healthcare leadership to impact organisational and patient-centred outcomes. With an affirmative approach to neurodivergence, I am committed to improving oral health services for this group.

I hold the position of Clinical Specialty Lead for Paediatric Dentistry for Children’s Health Ireland at an exciting time in paediatric healthcare, with integration of three clinical services and the imminent move to a new hospital building. This work exposes me to strategic and managerial challenges, fostering skills which I carry forward to other activities. I aim to bring my diverse experience and a fresh viewpoint to Dental Council matters at this important time for our profession and the public as we look to the future with optimism.