Dr Paul Leavy

My name is Paul Leavy and I am standing for re-election to the Dental Council of Ireland. I believe strongly in the importance of supporting and advocating for the dental profession, in particular primary care dentists. Primary care dentistry is at the heart of oral healthcare, yet it faces significant challenges, namely workforce pressures, changing population needs and evolving policy and regulatory landscapes. Having spent most of my career to date working in primary care, I understand both the rewards and the pressures of delivering patient care in these settings. My interest in the workforce, and a desire to advance positive system change led me to undertake research on GDPs’ participation in state dental schemes in Ireland. Through this work, I have focused on understanding how health systems shape the ability of GDPs to deliver care.

I have spent the past five years on Dental Council as an elected member, sitting on three committees and serving as Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee – overseeing the Council’s systems of internal control. I am therefore well versed in the workings of Council and feel I am best placed to continue representing and advocating for the profession over the next five years. At this time of significant oral healthcare system change, ensuring the voice of the profession is heard at the decision-making table is more important now than ever.

Although I wear several ‘hats’, I consider myself to be a generalist at heart. I still maintain a part time position in clinical practice, while working as an educator at the new RCSI School of Dentistry. I feel my professional journey, hallmarked by clinical practice in both public and private sectors, research and teaching has given me a broad perspective on the profession. This experience, and my time on Council, has strengthened my belief that collaboration between frontline practitioners, academics and wider system representatives is essential if we are to move forward collectively as a profession.

If re-elected, I will work to represent the interests of dentists while upholding the Dental Council’s responsibility to protect patients and the public. I want to act as a bridge between the frontline profession and the system, contributing to a regulatory environment that supports high standards, but also recognises the realities of practice – one that enables dentists to focus on what they do best: providing safe, effective, and compassionate care.