The European Primary and Specialist Dental Qualifications Regulations 1998

The competent authorities U.K.

16.—(1) Subject to paragraph (5), in relation to primary qualifications awarded in the United Kingdom, to appropriate European diplomas, and to registration under the Act by virtue of such qualifications or diplomas, the GDC shall be the competent authority in the United Kingdom for the purposes of the Recognition Directive.

(2) Accordingly, in relation to such qualifications or diplomas and to persons registered or seeking registration under the Act by virtue of them, the GDC shall as respects the United Kingdom perform (in addition to any functions provided for elsewhere) the following functions conferred by the Recognition Directive (the relevant article of that Directive being referred to in brackets where it is not otherwise mentioned)—

(a) the function of issuing in respect of practice in the United Kingdom the certificate of effective and lawful practice referred to in article 7(1);

(b) where the United Kingdom is the host State, the function of providing, where the GDC thinks fit, the information referred to in the first paragraph of articles 9(3) and 10(2);

(c) where the GDC receives such information, the function of verifying the accuracy of the facts, of deciding on the nature and the extent of the investigation to be made and of informing the host State of action taken (as mentioned in the second paragraph of articles 9(3) and 10(2)), such information to be provided within the period of three months beginning with the date on which the request for information was received (as mentioned in article 13(2));

(d) the function of receiving or (as the case may be) forwarding the information referred to in article 10(1);

(e) the function of ensuring the confidentiality of information forwarded under articles 9 and 10 (articles 9(4) and 10(3));

(f) the function of supplying the certificates referred to in the second and third indents of article 15(3) in the case of a person established in the United Kingdom, and of withdrawing the former in the circumstances referred to in article 15(5); and

(g) the function of requiring, in the event of justified doubts, confirmation of authenticity of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications granted by another EEA State and confirmation that a national of an EEC State seeking registration under the Act by virtue of an appropriate European diploma has fulfilled the Dental Training Directive’s training requirements (article 21).

(3) In addition, in relation to primary qualifications awarded in the United Kingdom and to registration under the Act, the GDC shall as respects the United Kingdom have the functions of a competent authority referred to in the following articles of the Recognition Directive—

(a) article 7(3) (issue of certificates of fulfilment of the Dental Training Directive training requirements in respect of qualifications which do not conform with the designations set out in the Recognition Directive;)

(b) article 9(1) (issue of certificates of good character);

(c) article 21 (function of confirming authenticity of qualifications and of confirming that a person has fulfilled the Dental Training Directive’s training requirements).

(4) The GDC is hereby designated as respects the United Kingdom for the purposes set out in this regulation in accordance with article 22 of the Recognition Directive (which requires member States to designate the authorities competent to issue or receive the diplomas, documents and other information referred to in that Directive).

(5) The dental authorities are hereby designated as respects the United Kingdom for the award of the diplomas of Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS or B.Ch.D) and Licentiate in Dental Surgery (LDS) in accordance with article 22 of the Recognition Directive (which requires member States to designate the authorities competent to issue or receive the diplomas, documents and other information referred to in that Directive).