20.—(1) In section 15 of the Act (qualification for registration in the dentists register), in subsection (4)(d) for “he” there is substituted—
“he—
(i)is a national of an EEA State (or is treated as such for the purposes of subsection (1)(b)); or
(ii)”.
(2) In section 16 of the Act (supplementary provisions as to registration of holders of overseas diplomas) there is inserted after subsection (2) the following subsection—
“(2A) In deciding for the purposes of section 15(4)(c) whether a person who is a national of an EEA State (or is treated as such for the purposes of section 15(1)(b)) has the requisite knowledge and skill, the Council—
(a)shall take into account any dental qualifications awarded outside the EEA which have been accepted by another EEA State as qualifying him to practise as a dentist in that State;
(b)shall take into account any professional dental experience or knowledge that he has acquired in another EEA State; and
(c)may treat a qualification which is not of a kind recognised for the time being by the Council as furnishing sufficient guarantees that he has the requisite knowledge and skill as if it were such a qualification.”.
(3) In section 17 of the Act (temporary registration)—
(a)for subsection (2)(d) there is substituted—
“(d)that he—
(i)is a national of an EEA State (or is treated as such for the purposes of section 15(1)(b)); or
(ii)has the necessary knowledge of English; and”; and
(b)after subsection (3) there is inserted—
“(3A) In deciding for the purposes of subsection (2)(c) whether a person who is a national of an EEA State (or a person who is treated as such for the purposes of section 15(1)(b)) has the requisite knowledge and skill for the efficient practice of dentistry in the post in question, the Council shall take into account any professional dental experience or knowledge that he has acquired in another EEA State, and any acceptance by such a State of his right to practise as a dentist in that State.”.