Maureen Walsh
Managing Director, DeCare
Real World Generational Impact Through Multi-Stakeholder Engagement and Delivery:
Collaboration with Higher Education and Industry has the Power to Bridge what Was and What will Be.
As the first and only dedicated dental benefit provider and oral health company in Ireland, DeCare Dental Insurance Ireland is in a unique and privileged position, serving over 76,000 dental and vision members and over 600 leading companies across all sectors in Ireland. Over the past five years, DeCare has covered over 337,000 dental treatments in Ireland. This year, the team introduced enhanced dental and vision benefits, including enhanced cover for children, orthodontics, and a dental case management benefit for autism spectrum disorder.
This will be the first generation in Ireland that will have grown up using private dental insurance as a key enabler for funding positive oral health over a lifetime, resulting in improved outcomes and overall quality of life. Companies have taken responsibility for providing benefit plans to staff and enabling positive oral health of their teams.
Oral disease impacts approximately 3.5 billion people, costing over $710 billion in treatment costs and productivity losses worldwide each year. In Ireland, 83% of dental costs are paid out of pocket.
DeCare member claims data shows that members receiving preventive care over a three-year period experienced a 5% increase in the cost of care. Members that did not receive preventive care over this period experienced a 67% increase in the cost of oral healthcare (2022-2024). Underpinning the importance of awareness and insurance as a mechanism to fund the cost of care. We all have a part to play.
The World Health Organization has set the strategic action to reduce the combined global prevalence of the main oral diseases and conditions over the life course by 10%.
An ambitious goal such as this cannot be achieved in isolation or in a silo. The oral health environment is complex and dynamic. Cross-Stakeholder collaboration in areas of research, education and funding (private and public) is required to enable positive oral and overall health.
One of the key reasons that Ireland is well positioned for innovation and addressing global challenges is the proven ecosystem that exists for academia and industry to partner to make impactful progress - whether that be med-tech, life sciences, manufacturing advancements, or oral healthcare. Entrepreneurial companies will continue to play a vital role in working with academia, private and public sector to drive innovation. DeCare is privileged to partner with people and companies that are changing the world through an ability to collaborate and deliver real world generational impact in their business.
One of the most exciting dental developments in Ireland is the opening of the new Royal College of Surgeons Dental Education Centre at Sandyford in September 2025, where the first cohort of students have started their Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS). This is the first community-based undergraduate dentistry programme in Ireland. This innovative approach reflects a major international trend in dentistry and other healthcare professions. This programme embeds social accountability and collaborative practice into the programme. The students will work on real world projects in the Community, have access to state-of-the-art facilities and advanced dental simulation technology at new Dental Education centres in Sandyford, Connolly Hospital and Ashtown over a five-year period.
The DeCare team is delighted to support RCSI as they prepare the next generation of dentists in Ireland.
It is vital that government continue to invest in higher education in Ireland. The increased Research and Development Credit to 35% is welcome. Further strategic actions by Government are required to increase core and capital funding for higher education institutions. This funding is required to boost capacity in all sectors.
There is a significant opportunity to permanently unlock the National Training fund and close the gap that is required by higher education to deliver a sustainable funding model to support Ireland’s universities to remain at the forefront. This is a unique funding mechanism which involves investment from industry into the fund and presents a significant and targeted opportunity that has the potential to be transformative.
A multiannual fund for research, investment in infrastructure and skills development will provide consistent commitment and long-term confidence for investors.
We are all interconnected in a complex and competitive global economy marked by rapid technological advancements, talent shortages, and needs of a changing population and society with evolving preferences.
We have an opportunity to make real world generation impact, from a position strength.
Let’s Do It.