The European Primary and Specialist Dental Qualifications Regulations 1998

“1.   The Member States shall require persons wishing to take up and pursue a dental profession under the titles referred to in Article 1 of Directive 78/686/EEC to hold a diploma, certificate or other evidence of formal qualifications referred to in Article 3 of the same Directive which guarantees that during his complete training period the person concerned has acquired:

(a) adequate knowledge of the sciences on which dentistry is based and a good understanding of scientific methods, including the principles of measuring biological functions, the evaluation of scientifically established facts and the analysis of data;

(b) adequate knowledge of the constitution, physiology and behaviour of healthy and sick persons as well as the influence of the natural and social environment on the state of health of the human being, in so far as these factors affect dentistry;

(c) adequate knowledge of the structure and function of the teeth, mouth, jaws and associated tissues, both healthy and diseased, and their relationship to the general state of health and to the physical and social well-being of the patient;

(d) adequate knowledge of clinical disciplines and methods, providing the dentist with a coherent picture of anomalies, lesions and diseases of the teeth, mouth, jaws and associated tissues and of preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic dentistry;

(e) suitable clinical experience under appropriate supervision.

This training shall provide him with the skills necessary for carrying out all activities involving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of anomalies and diseases of the teeth, mouth, jaws and associated tissues.

2.   A complete period of dental training of this kind shall comprise at least a five-year full time course of theoretical and practical instruction given in a university, in a higher-education institution recognised as having equivalent status or under the supervision of a university and shall include the subjects listed in the Annex.

3.   In order to be accepted for such training, the candidate must have a diploma or a certificate which entitles him to be admitted for the course of study concerned to the universities of a Member State or to the higher education institutions recognised as having equivalent status.

4.   [....................]

Annex U.K. STUDY PROGRAMME FOR DENTAL PRACTITIONERS

The programme of studies leading to a diploma, certificate or other evidence of formal qualifications in dentistry shall include at least the following subjects. One or more of these subjects may be taught in the context of the other disciplines or in conjunction therewith.

Basic subjects

(a) chemistry,

physics,

biology.

Medico-biological subjects and general medical subjects

(b) anatomy,

embryology,

histology, including cytology,

physiology,

biochemistry (or physiological chemistry),

pathological anatomy,

general pathology,

pharmacology,

microbiology,

hygiene,

preventive medicine and epidemiology,

radiology,

physiotherapy,

general surgery,

general medicine, including paediatrics,

oto-rhino-laryngology,

dermato-venereology,

general psychology—psychopathology—neuropathology,

anaesthetics.

Subjects directly related to dentistry

(c) prosthodontics,

dental materials and equipment,

conservative dentistry,

preventive dentistry,

anaesthetics and sedation in dentistry,

special surgery,

special pathology,

clinical practice,

paedodontics,

orthodontics,

periodontics,

dental radiology,

dental occlusion and function of the jaw,

professional organisation, ethics and legislation,

social aspects of dental practice.”