The Dental Health Foundation - About Us

The Foundation and its role

The Dental Health Foundation plays an important role in facilitating and supporting the promotion of oral health in Ireland. The Foundation has worked (and continues to do so) closely with the Department of Health and Children including its Health Promotion Unit, providing a focus for oral health within the wider context of health promotion in Ireland. It also provides a complimentary role to public health bodies on a national basis.

In the course of the past 30 years great progress has been made in improving the oral health of Irish people. However, not all Irish people are achieving the same degree of oral health. In many instances, socio-economic factors are an explanation for the range of complex disparities in oral health. A lack of access to community programmes, physical disabilities and other illnesses, are clearly barriers to oral health in Ireland. Another major barrier to seeking and obtaining professional oral health care relates to a lack of public understanding and awareness of the importance of oral health.

The Foundation strongly advocates that oral health has a significant impact on the overall health and well-being of the Irish population. A framework for action that integrates oral health into overall health is therefore critical if we are to see further gains in this sector. This is an essential component of our mission.

The Dental Health Foundation has identified 5 strategic objectives which provide a valuable focus for our work, improving the opportunities for meaningful oral health gain for the whole population.

Strategic Objectives

• To strengthen the Foundation's advocacy role.



• To provide information and education on fluorides



• To develop programmes and information specifically tailored to meet the special needs groups in Irish society.



• To take a multi-sectoral approach in the promotion of oral health.



• To provide support for health professionals.

Our Mission

"The Mission of the Dental Health Foundation is to promote oral health in Ireland, by providing effective resources or interventions and by influencing policy, through a multi-sectoral, partnership approach."

The mission will become a reality through:

• Taking an inclusive approach that caters for the needs of minority groups, without exception.



• Using the Foundation's independence from vested interests by providing resources and advocating policies for the sole objective of effective oral health promotion.



• Investing resources in initiatives that are based on sound scientific research.



• Taking a broad multi-sectoral approach to raise awareness of oral health.

In addition to its primary function of promoting oral health in Ireland. The Minister for Health and Children, Micheal Martin TD, following the establishment of the Irish Expert Body on Fluorides and Health in April 2004 to oversee the implementation of the recommendations identified in the Forum on Fluoridation’s Report (2002), invited the Foundation to act as the Secretariat to the Expert Body. In this role the Foundation will provide support to the Expert Body in the organisation of meetings, the development of the work agenda and the management and co-ordination of research initiatives, and the duties associated with the implementation of decisions taken by the Expert Body. The Foundation makes information routinely available to the public through the Expert Body’s website, www.fluoridesandhealth.ie.

The Expert Body has a broad representation from the areas of dentistry, public health medicine, toxicology, engineering, management, environment and the public, as identified within the Report of the Forum on Fluoridation. It has a strong consumer input in terms of members of the public and representatives of consumer interest, in addition to the necessary scientific, managerial and public health inputs.

The work of the Expert Body is to identify and implement the necessary measures to ensure that this vital element of public health policy is delivered in line with the Forum’s Recommendations and that the systems employed to give effect to these are sound, transparent, and meet the highest standards of quality assurance and accountability.