Search Legislation

Dentists Act 1984

 Help about what version

What Version

 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

Status:

Point in time view as at 25/05/2018.

Changes to legislation:

Dentists Act 1984, Part I is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 28 March 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Changes and effects yet to be applied by the editorial team are only applicable when viewing the latest version or prospective version of legislation. They are therefore not accessible when viewing legislation as at a specific point in time. To view the ‘Changes to Legislation’ information for this provision return to the latest version view using the options provided in the ‘What Version’ box above.

Part IU.K. The General Dental Council

1 Constitution and general duties of the Council.U.K.

(1)There shall continue to be a body corporate known as the General Dental Council (in this Act referred to as “the Council”).

[F1(1ZA)The over-arching objective of the Council in exercising their functions under this Act is the protection of the public.

(1ZB)The pursuit by the Council of their over-arching objective involves the pursuit of the following objectives—

(a)to protect, promote and maintain the health, safety and well-being of the public;

(b)to promote and maintain public confidence in the professions regulated under this Act; and

(c)to promote and maintain proper professional standards and conduct for members of those professions.]

[F2(1A)When exercising their functions under this Act, the Council shall have proper regard for—

(a)the interests of persons using or needing the services of registered dentists or registered dental care professionals in the United Kingdom; and

(b)any differing interests of different categories of registered dentists or registered dental care professionals.]

[F3(2)The Council shall, when exercising their functions under this Act, have a general concern—

(a)to promote high standards of education at all its stages in all aspects of dentistry; F4...

F4(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(2A)The Council shall be constituted as provided by order of the Privy Council.

F5(2B). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]

(3)Part I of Schedule 1 to this Act shall have effect in relation to the Council [F6and, in particular, subsection (2A) above is subject to the provisions of that Part].

Textual Amendments

F3S. 1(2)-(2B) substituted for s. 1(2)-(2C) (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. 3 (with Sch. 7) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2006/1671)

F6Words in s. 1(3) added (coming into force in accordance with art. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by S.I. 2001/3926, art. 1, 3(b)

2 Committees of the Council.U.K.

[F7(1)There shall continue to be committees of the Council known as—

(a)the Professional Conduct Committee; and

(b)the Health Committee.

(2)There shall also be established committees of the Council to be known as—

(a)the Investigating Committee;

(b)the Professional Performance Committee;

(c)the Interim Orders Committee; and

(d)the Registration Appeals Committee.

(3)In this Act, “Practice Committee” means the Professional Conduct Committee, the Health Committee or the Professional Performance Committee.]

(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F8(6)The committees of the Council mentioned in this section shall be constituted as provided by [F9rules].

[F10(6A)Rules made under subsection (6) may provide for the functions of a committee of the Council mentioned in this section to be exercised by one or more panels comprised of members of the committee and may make provision with regard to the constitution of the panels.]

F11(7). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F11(8). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]

Textual Amendments

F7S. 2(1)-(3) substituted for s. 2(1)-(4A) (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. 4(a) (with Sch. 7) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2006/1671)

F8S. 2(6)-(8) inserted (coming into force in accordance with art. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by S.I. 2001/3926, art. 6(d)

[F122A.The Council’s duty to co-operateU.K.

(1)In the exercise of their functions, the Council shall co-operate in so far as reasonably practicable with public authorities, and other bodies and persons, falling within subsection (2).

(2)Public authorities, bodies and persons fall within this subsection if—

(a)they are concerned with the employment (whether or not under a contract of service) of registered dentists or registered dental care professionals;

(b)they provide, assess or fund education or training for those who are, or seek to become, registered dentists or registered dental care professionals, or they propose to do so;

(c)they regulate services in the provision of which registered dentists or registered dental care professionals are engaged;

(d)they carry out activities in connection with [F13the provision, supervision or management of national health services]; F14...

F15(e). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3)In carrying out their duty to co-operate under subsection (1), the Council shall have regard to any differing considerations in relation to the practice of dentistry which apply in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Textual Amendments

F12Ss. 2A-2D 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. 5 (with Sch. 7) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2006/1671)

[F162B.Annual reports, statistical reports and strategic plansU.K.

(1)The Council shall publish, by such date in each year as the Privy Council shall specify—

(a)a report on the exercise of their functions which includes a description of the arrangements that the Council have put in place to ensure that they adhere to good practice in relation to equality and diversity (and for these purposes “equality” and “diversity” have the meanings given in section 8(2) of the Equality Act 2006);

(b)a statistical report which indicates the efficiency and effectiveness of, and which includes a description of, the arrangements which the Council have put in place to protect members of the public from persons who are registered dentists or registered dental care professionals and whose fitness to practise is impaired, together with the Council’s observations on the report; and

(c)a strategic plan for the Council in respect of such number of years as the Council shall determine.

(2)The Council shall submit copies of the reports and the plan published under subsection (1) to the Privy Council and the Privy Council shall lay copies of the reports and the plan before each House of Parliament and before the Scottish Parliament.]

Textual Amendments

F12Ss. 2A-2D 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. 5 (with Sch. 7) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2006/1671)

2C.AccountsU.K.

(1)The Council shall—

(a)keep accounts, and

(b)prepare a statement of accounts in respect of each calendar year,

in such form as the Privy Council may determine in writing.

(2)The Council shall appoint an auditor to audit each statement of accounts prepared in accordance with subsection (1)(b), and the auditor must prepare a report on each statement of accounts.

(3)The auditor appointed must be eligible for appointment as a [F17statutory auditor under Part 42 of the Companies Act 2006] .

(4)The Council shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of each calendar year—

(a)publish the statement of accounts for that year, together with the auditor’s report on it; and

(b)send a copy of the statement of accounts and the report to the [F18Privy Council, the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Auditor General for Scotland].

(5)The Comptroller and Auditor General shall examine, certify and report on each statement of accounts received under subsection (4) and for these purposes may inspect accounts kept by the Council in accordance with subsection (1)(a).

(6)The Comptroller and Auditor General shall send a copy of each report prepared by him under subsection (5) to the Council and the Privy Council.

(7)The Privy Council shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of each calendar year, lay before each House of Parliament and the Scottish Parliament a copy of—

(a)the statement of accounts for that year as certified by the Comptroller and Auditor General;

(b)the auditor’s report for that year; and

(c)the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General for that year.

Textual Amendments

F12Ss. 2A-2D 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. 5 (with Sch. 7) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2006/1671)

2D.ComplaintsU.K.

(1)The Council may incur expenditure for the purposes of investigating and resolving dental complaints.

(2)In this section “dental complaints” means complaints made by users of the services of registered dentists or the services of registered dental care professionals about—

(a)the dental services provided by a registered dentist, a registered dental care professional or a body corporate carrying on the business of dentistry; or

(b)the goods or materials provided to persons, or the facilities provided for persons, using those dental services.

(3)The Council may also incur expenditure for the purposes of assisting the parties to the dental complaint in reaching a satisfactory resolution of that complaint.]

Textual Amendments

F12Ss. 2A-2D 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. 5 (with Sch. 7) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2006/1671)

[F192E.Registration of members’ private interestsU.K.

(1)The Council must establish and maintain a system for the declaration and registration of private interests of their members.

(2)The Council must publish entries recorded in the register of members’ private interests.]

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

You have chosen to open The Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Act as a PDF

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open the Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Point in Time: This becomes available after navigating to view revised legislation as it stood at a certain point in time via Advanced Features > Show Timeline of Changes or via a point in time advanced search.

Close

See additional information alongside the content

Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources