RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences today marked a significant milestone in the advancement of dental education in Ireland with the turning of the sod for the new RCSI Dental Education Centre at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown.

The event signifies the official commencement of construction on the state-of-the-art centre, which is set to welcome its first cohort of students in September 2027.

The building will span over four floors and 4,000 square metres, with the new Dental Education Centre (DEC) occupying two floors and providing cutting-edge dental education and training facilities, including 40 dental chairs, intra-oral X-ray suites, and supporting services.

Building on an already strong partnership with the HSE, the building will also provide two floors of clinical space for Connolly Hospital, providing out-patient day services in a state-of-the-art clinical space, further enhancing the clinical infrastructure at Connolly Hospital, serving the communities of west Dublin and further afield.

When fully operational, the new RCSI School of Dentistry will train over 375 students and provide around 30,000 individual dental treatments in the community, contributing significantly to the enhancement of primary oral healthcare in Ireland. This development will be RCSI’s second Dental Education Centre – the first is located in Sandyford and is due to open this year.

Speaking at the event, Professor Deborah McNamara, President, RCSI, said: “We are delighted to turn the sod on this world-class dental education centre at Connolly Hospital. We are committed to providing our students with an exceptional learning environment that fosters clinical excellence and professional development. The state-of-the-art facilities we are developing here will enable us to train future generations of dentists in a community-based setting, equipping them with the skills to deliver outstanding patient care.

“Research has shown that dentists trained in a community-based setting are more likely to pursue careers in primary care, which directly benefits patients and aligns with the Government’s National Oral Health Policy. This new facility is a step forward in ensuring high-quality, accessible dental care for communities across Ireland.”  

The RCSI Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programme is Ireland’s first community-based undergraduate dentistry degree. Developed in collaboration with the award-winning Peninsula Dental School at the University of Plymouth, the programme’s curriculum is designed to equip graduates with the expertise needed to excel in primary care settings.

The RCSI Dental Education Centre at Connolly Hospital will be developed by building contractors Felix O’Hare, with MDO as architects.