Dentists Act 1984

Degrees and licences in dentistry

3 Power of medical authorities to hold examinations and grant licences in dentistry

(1) Any medical authority who have power for the time being to grant surgical degrees may, notwithstanding anything in any enactment, charter or other document, hold examinations in dentistry and grant licences certifying the fitness of the holders to practise dentistry; and the holders' names shall be entered on a list of licentiates in dentistry to be kept by the medical authority.

(2) Subsection (1) above is without prejudice to any power to grant a degree or licence in dentistry which a medical authority may possess apart from the provisions of this Act.

(3) In this section " medical authority " means any of the universities or other bodies who choose appointed members of the General Medical Council, but also includes any of the universities and other bodies in the Republic of Ireland which immediately before 30th April 1979 were entitled to choose such members.

(4) References in this Act to a dental authority are references to a medical authority who grant degrees, licences or other diplomas in dentistry.

4 Conduct of examinations for degrees and licences

(1) For the purpose of any examinations to qualify for a degree or licence in dentistry held by—

(a) any university in England or Wales, Scotland or Ireland,

(b) the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh,

(c) the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, or

(d) the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland,

the Council or other governing body of the university or college may appoint a board of examiners.

(2) Each of those boards shall be called the Board of Examiners in Dental Surgery or Dentistry, and shall consist of not less than six members, of whom at least one half shall be registered dentists; and nothing in any enactment, charter or other document shall make it necessary for them to possess any other qualification.

(3) Persons appointed under this section shall continue in office for such period, and shall conduct the examinations in such manner, as the governing body appointing them may by byelaws or regulations direct.

(4) A casual vacancy in any such board of examiners may be filled by the governing body which appointed the board and the person so appointed—

(a) shall be a registered dentist if the person in whose place he is appointed was a registered dentist, and

(b) shall hold office for such time only as that other person would have held office.

(5) Such reasonable fees shall be paid for a degree or licence awarded after examination by a board of examiners under this section as the governing body by whom they were appointed may by byelaws or regulations direct and the degrees or licences awarded after examination by the board of examiners shall be in such form as that governing body may so direct.

(6) All byelaws and regulations made by a dental authority under this section, and any further byelaws or regulations altering or revoking them, shall be made in such manner, and subject to such approval or confirmation, if any, as in the case of other byelaws or regulations made by that dental authority.

5 Holding of examinations and grant of licences by Royal College of Surgeons of England

The Royal College of Surgeons of England shall continue to hold examinations, and to appoint a board of examiners in dentistry, and to grant licences certifying the fitness of the holders to practise, subject to and in accordance with the provisions of their charter dated 8th September 1859 and the byelaws made in pursuance of that charter; and the name of the holder of any licence so granted shall be entered on a list of licentiates in dentistry to be kept by the College.

6 Requirements in relation to admission of candidates to examinations and grant of degrees and licences

(1) A dental authority shall admit to the examinations held by them to qualify for a degree or licence in dentistry any person desirous of being examined who has complied with the regulations in force (if any) as to education laid down by the dental authority.

(2) Notwithstanding anything in any enactment, charter or other document, a dental authority shall not grant a degree or licence in dentistry to a person who has not attained the age of 21 years.

7 Effect of grant of degree or licence in dentistry

A degree or licence in dentistry granted by a dental authority shall not confer any right or title to be registered under the [1983 c. 54.] Medical Act 1983, nor to assume any name, title or designation implying that the holder of the degree or licence is by law recognised as a practitioner or licentiate in medicine or general surgery.