Before you visit the dentist, visit dental.ie the Irish Dental Association (IDA) website.

It is about informing us on all aspects of dentistry in Ireland today, as its homepage message from IDA president Dr Declan Hollywood says, and it does so in a light, easy to understand manner that should take some of the mystery and misery out of a visit to the dentist.

Not that fear of what happens to out teeth is a new thing - their news section features a very interesting story about how tiny holes found in teeth suggest even prehistoric man may have had to fear the dentist's drill.

A "Did You Know?" box also reveals that by the age of 15, at least 1 in 3 children will have experienced what they call dental trauma. Another one says that 65 per cent of all soft drink sales are made to kids under the age of 15.

The "Frequently Asked Questions" section covers things like how often you should go to the dentist, gingivitis, plaque etc, but also talks about options available if you have a medical card or PRSI and how your general health can impact on your dental health.

The A-Z glossary of dental terms will be of great use if you are not quite sure how to describe what is wrong with you or what your dentist said on your last visit there. From abscess and abutment to virgin teeth and wisdom teeth, it is all here.

The "Find A Dentist" search will be a boon to anyone who has ever gotten a sudden toothache while too far away from their usual dentist. You can search by name (it found my childhood dentist's contact details in less than a second), county (the North as well as the Republic), and speciality (it includes orthodontists and oral surgeons as well as regular dentists).

The Dentistry section has very good information on how the dental profession in Ireland operates in relation to the health boards and private practice, and also offers solid, basic advise on caring for your teeth.

An excellent site, maybe even one that will set the standard for the websites of professional medical organisations.