Dentists Act 1984

53 Interpretation. U.K.

(1) In this Act—

• F1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• “the Council” means the General Dental Council;

• “dental authority” shall be construed in accordance with section 3(4) above;

• “diploma” means any diploma, degree, fellowship, membership, licence, authority to practise, letters testimonial, certificate or other status or document granted by any university, corporation, college or other body or by any department of, or persons acting under the authority of, the government of any country or place (whether within or without Her Majesty’s dominions);

• [F2 the Directive” means Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7th September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications (OJ No L255, 30.09.2005, p 22), and any reference in this Act to the Directive or to any provision of the Directive is a reference to the Directive, or to that provision, as it had effect immediately before IP completion day];

• F3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• F1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• F1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• F1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• F4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• F1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• [F5 “interim order” means—

  (a)

  an interim suspension order under section 32(4)(a) or section 36V(4)(a); or

  (b)

  an order for interim conditional registration under section 32(4)(b) or section 36V(4)(b);

• F1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• [F6 “the necessary knowledge of English”—

  (a)

  in relation to a person registered, or applying to be registered, in the dentists register, means a knowledge of English which, in the interests of the person and the person’s patients, is necessary for the practice of dentistry in the United Kingdom;

  (b)

  in relation to a person registered, or applying to be registered, in the dental care professionals register, means a knowledge of English which, in the interests of the person and the person’s patients, is necessary for the practice of a profession complementary to dentistry in the United Kingdom;]

• [F7 “overseas diploma” has the meaning given by section 15(2) above;]

• “Practice Committee” shall be construed in accordance with section 2;

• “profession complementary to dentistry” shall be construed in accordance with section 36A(1);]

• F8 ...

• “the register” means the dentists register;

• [F9 “registered dental care professional” means a person for the time being registered in the dental care professionals register under a title or titles;]

• “registered dentist” means (subject to section 17(4) above) a person for the time being registered in the register;

• “the registrar” means the person for the time being appointed under [F10 section 14(2)] above;

• [F11 “relevant European State” means an EEA State or Switzerland.]

• F12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• [F13 “specified state professional” means a person who holds a specified state qualification;]

• [F13 “specified state qualification” means a qualification in dentistry or in a profession complementary to dentistry awarded in one of the states specified in Schedule 1 to the Recognition of Professional Qualifications and Implementation of International Recognition Agreements (Amendment) Regulations 2023;]

• [F14 “the UK GDPR” has the same meaning as in Parts 5 to 7 of the Data Protection Act 2018 (see section 3(10) and (14) of that Act);]

(2) In this Act references to the practice of dentistry shall be construed in accordance with section 37 above, and references to carrying on the business of dentistry shall be construed in accordance with section 40 above.

[F15 (2A) In this Act references to a body corporate’s principal office mean, in the case of a body corporate registered outside the United Kingdom, that body’s principal office within the United Kingdom.]

(3) References in this Act to the provision [F16 , supervision or management] of national health services are references to the provision [F16 , supervision or management] of—

[F17 (a) services under—

(i) [F18 section 2, 3, 92 or 107 of, or paragraphs 1 to 6 of Schedule 1 to, the National Health Service Act 2006, or section 2, 3, 50 or 64 of, or paragraphs 1 to 6 of Schedule 1 to, the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006] ;

(ii) section 17C, 36, 38 or 39 of the M1 National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978; or

(iii)] Article 5, 8 [F19 , 9 or 15B] of the M2 Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972; and

(b) services at health centres provided under the said sections 2, 3 or 36 or the said Article 5.

[F20 (3A) References in this Act to the over-arching objective are to the over-arching objective of the Council under section 1(1ZA) (read with section 1(1ZB)).]

F21 (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 53(1) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The European Qualifications (Health and Social Care Professions) (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/593), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 26(a) (with reg. 12A, Sch. 3 Pt. 2) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1394, regs. 4, 11(4)-(10)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F2 Words in s. 53(1) substituted (31.12.2020) by The European Qualifications (Health and Social Care Professions) (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/593), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 26(b) (with reg. 12A, Sch. 3 Pt. 2) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1394, regs. 4, 11(4)-(10)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F3 Words in s. 53(1) omitted (25.5.2018) by virtue of the Data Protection Act 2018 (c. 12), Sch. 19 para. 31 (with ss. 117, 209, 210); S.I. 2018/625, reg. 2(1)(g)

F4 Words in s. 53(1) omitted (3.12.2007) by virtue of The European Qualifications (Health and Social Care Professions) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/3101), regs. 1(2), 129(c)

F5 Words in s. 53(1) 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. 46(2)(a) (with Sch. 7) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2006/1671)

F6 Words in s. 53(1) inserted (1.4.2016) by The Health Care and Associated Professions (Knowledge of English) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/806), arts. 1(3), 28; S.I. 2015/1451, art. 5

F7 Words in s. 53(1) inserted (8.3.2023) by The Dentists, Dental Care Professionals, Nurses, Nursing Associates and Midwives (International Registrations) Order 2023 (S.I. 2023/162), art. 1(2), Sch. 1 para. 5(3)(a)

F8 Words in s. 53(1) omitted (8.3.2023) by virtue of The Dentists, Dental Care Professionals, Nurses, Nursing Associates and Midwives (International Registrations) Order 2023 (S.I. 2023/162), art. 1(2), Sch. 1 para. 5(3)(b)

F9 Words in s. 53(1) 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. 46(2)(b) (with Sch. 7) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2006/1671)

F10 Words in s. 53(1) substituted (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. 46(2)(c) (with Sch. 7) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2006/1671)

F11 Words in s. 53(1) inserted (3.12.2007) by The European Qualifications (Health and Social Care Professions) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/3101), regs. 1(2), 129(f)

F12 Words in s. 53(1) omitted (3.12.2007) by virtue of The European Qualifications (Health and Social Care Professions) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/3101), regs. 1(2), 129(g)

F13 Words in s. 53(1) inserted (1.12.2023) by The Recognition of Professional Qualifications and Implementation of International Recognition Agreements (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1286), reg. 1, Sch. 3 para. 34

F14 Words in s. 53(1) inserted (31.12.2020) by The Data Protection, Privacy and Electronic Communications (Amendments etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/419), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 17 (with Sch. 3 para. 112); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F15 S. 53(2A) 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. 46(3) (with Sch. 7) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2006/1671)

F16 Words in s. 53(3) inserted (14.5.2009) by The Health Care and Associated Professions (Miscellaneous Amendments and Practitioner Psychologists) Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/1182), art. 1(2)(b), Sch. 1 para. 12 (with arts. 9, 10)

F17 Words in s. 53(3)(a) substituted (18.11.1998) by virtue of 1997 c. 46, s. 41(10), Sch. 2 Pt. I para. 62; S.I. 1998/2840, art. 2(1)

F18 Words in s. 53(3)(a) substituted (1.3.2007) by National Health Service (Consequential Provisions) Act 2006 (c. 43), s. 8(2), Sch. 1 para. 82 (with Sch. 3 Pt. 1)

F19 Words in s. 53(3)(a)(iii) substituted (1.4.1999) by S.I. 1997/1177, art. 32(1), Sch. 2; S.R. 1998/301, art. 2(2), Sch. 2 (with art. 3)

F20 S. 53(3A) inserted (26.9.2016) by Health and Social Care (Safety and Quality) Act 2015 (c. 28), s. 6(4), Sch. para. 1(7); S.I. 2016/906, reg. 2(b)

F21 S. 53(4) repealed (5.11.1993) by 1993 c. 50, s. 1(1), Sch. 1 Pt. XIV.

Marginal Citations

M1 1978 c. 29.

M2 S.I. 1972/1265 (N.I. 14).