Dentists Act 1984

37 Definition of practice of dentistry

(1) For the purposes of this Act, the practice of dentistry shall be deemed to include the performance of any such operation and the giving of any such treatment, advice or attendance as is usually performed or given by dentists; and any person who performs any operation or gives any treatment, advice or attendance on or to any person as preparatory to or for the purpose of or in connection with the fitting, insertion or fixing of dentures, artificial teeth or other dental appliances shall be deemed to have practised dentistry within the meaning of this Act.

(2) Dental work shall not be treated for the purposes of this Act as amounting to the practice of dentistry if it is undertaken under the direct personal supervision of a registered dentist—

(a) by a person recognised by a dental authority as a student of dentistry, or by a person recognised by a medical authority as a medical student, as part of a course of instruction approved by that authority for students of that kind, or as part of an examination so approved, or

(b) by any person as part of a course of instruction which he is following in order to qualify for membership of a class of dental auxiliaries or as part of examinations which must be passed in order to qualify for membership of a class of dental auxiliaries ;

but, subject to that, a person who undertakes dental work in the course of his studies (whether or not under the supervision of a registered dentist) shall be treated for the purposes of this Act as practising dentistry if he would have been treated for those purposes as practising dentistry if he had undertaken that work in the course of earning his livelihood.

(3) In this section "medical authority" means one of the universities and other bodies who choose appointed members of the General Medical Council.