Dentists Act 1984

46 Restrictions on employment of dental auxiliaries

(1) Regulations under section 45 above shall not permit a dental auxiliary of any class to undertake—

(a) the extraction of teeth other than deciduous teeth, or

(b) except in the course of the provision of national health services, the filling of teeth or the extraction of deciduous teeth, or

(c) the fitting, insertion or fixing of dentures or artificial teeth.

(2) Regulations under section 45 above shall be so framed as to secure that dental work amounting to the practice of dentistry carried out by a dental auxiliary in the course of the provision of national health services is carried out under the direction of a registered dentist; and it shall be the duty of the Council to secure, either by provision in the said regulations or otherwise, that, so long as they think it advisable, such work is only carried out after the registered dentist has examined the patient and has indicated to the dental auxiliary the course of treatment to be provided for the patient.

(3) Regulations under that section shall be so framed as to secure that dental work amounting to the practice of dentistry carried out by a dental auxiliary otherwise than in the course of providing national health services is carried out under the direct personal supervision of a registered dentist.

(4) Her Majesty may by Order in Council—

(a) provide that subsection (1)(b) above shall cease to have effect in relation to any class of dental auxiliaries specified in the Order;

(b) repeal, in subsection (2) above, the words " in the course of the provision of national health services " and subsection (3) above.

(5) An Order in Council under subsection (4) above shall not be made unless a draft of the Order has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.