Dentists Act 1984

[F136C.Qualifications for registrationU.K.

(1)Subject to the provisions of this Act, a person shall be entitled to be registered under a particular title in the dental care professionals register if he satisfies the registrar—

(a)in a case where the title concerned is that of dental hygienist or dental therapist—

(i)of matter A, B or C, and

(ii)of matter D; and

(b)in any other case—

(i)of matter A or C, and

(ii)of matter D.

(2)Matter A is that the person holds a qualification or qualifications approved by the Council under section 36D(2) in relation to the profession, or class of members of a profession, to which the title applies.

(3)Matter B is that the person—

(a)either—

(i)is a national of an EEA State, or

(ii)is not a national of an EEA State but is, by virtue of a right conferred by article 11 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1612/68 or any other enforceable Community right, entitled to be treated, for the purposes of access to a profession complementary to dentistry, no less favourably than a national of such a State; and

(b)has a right to practise in the United Kingdom as a dental hygienist or dental therapist (as the case may be) by virtue of the European Communities (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) (Second General System) Regulations 2002 (S.I.2002/2934).

(4)Matter C is that the person—

(a)holds a qualification or qualifications granted by an institution or institutions outside the United Kingdom relevant to the profession complementary to dentistry, or class of members of such a profession, to which the title applies (in this section referred to as “relevant qualifications”);

(b)has satisfied the Council that he has the requisite knowledge and skill to practise as a member of the profession or class to which the title applies; and

(c)has the knowledge of English which, in the interests of himself and his patients, is necessary for practising in the United Kingdom as a member of the profession or class to which the title applies.

(5)For the purpose of establishing whether a person has the requisite knowledge and skill for the purposes of subsection (4)(b), the Council

(a)in all cases—

(i)shall take into account all that person’s relevant qualifications, and all relevant knowledge or experience, wherever acquired, and

(ii)may determine that a person must perform to the satisfaction of the Council in any test or assessment specified in the determination; and

(b)in the case of a national of an EEA State (or a person within subsection (3)(a)(ii)) who holds a relevant qualification granted by an institution or institutions outside the EEA which has been accepted by another EEA State as qualifying him to practise in that State as a member of the profession or class to which the title applies, shall take that acceptance into account.

(6)Matter D is—

(a)the person’s identity;

(b)that he is of good character; and

(c)that he is in good health, both physically and mentally.

(7)In this section “national” has the meaning given to it in section 15(2).]

Textual Amendments

F1Pt. 3A inserted (coming into force in accordance with art. 1(4)-(7) of the amending S.I. (see the London Gazette, issue nos. 57734, 57975, 58050 and 58769, dated respectively 19.8.2005, 5.6.2006, 21.7.2006 and 18.7.2008)) by The Dentists Act 1984 (Amendment) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/2011), art. 29 (with Sch. 7) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2006/1671)