PART II
DENTAL COUNCIL
3.
—(1) There shall be established a body, to be known as the Dental Council, which shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal.
(2) The Council shall consist of —
(a)
6 members to be appointed by the Minister; and
(b)
5 members to be elected by registered dentists whose names appear in the first division of the register and who are resident in Singapore.
(3) Of the members referred to in subsection (2)(a), there shall be —
(a)
4 registered dentists whose names appear in the first division of the register and who are practising in Singapore;
(b)
one registered dentist whose name appears in the second division of the register and who is practising in Singapore; and
(c)
one member of the academic staff of the Faculty of Dentistry of the National University of Singapore.
(4) Only registered dentists whose names appear in the first division of the register and who have at least 10 years’ experience in the practice of dentistry may be elected as members of the Council.
(5) The members shall hold office for a term of 3 years and shall be eligible for reappointment or re-election.
(6) The Minister may, at any time, revoke the appointment of any member appointed under subsection (2)(a) without assigning any reason.
4. The functions of the Council are —
(a)
to approve or reject applications for registration as a dentist under this Act or to approve any such application subject to such conditions as it may think fit;
(b)
to issue certificates of registration and practising certificates to registered dentists;
(c)
to make recommendations to the appropriate authorities on the courses of instructions and examinations leading to a degree of Bachelor of Dental Surgery in the National University of Singapore;
(d)
to make recommendations to the appropriate authorities for the training and education of registered dentists;
(e)
to determine and regulate the conduct and ethics of registered dentists; and
(f)
generally to do all such acts, matters and things as are necessary to be carried out, or which the Council is authorised to carry out, under this Act.
5.
—(1) Every registered dentist whose name appears in the first division of the register and who is resident in Singapore shall vote for the election of members of the Council referred to in section 3(2)(b) at such time and in such manner as may be prescribed.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of this Act, a person who is required under subsection (1) to vote and who fails to do so shall not be entitled to apply for a practising certificate under section 17, unless he satisfies the Registrar that he has a good and sufficient reason for not voting or unless he pays to the Council a penalty prescribed by the Council.
6.
—(1) The Council shall have a President who shall be elected by the members of the Council from among its members.
(2) The President shall serve for a term not extending beyond the expiration of the term for which he has been appointed or elected to be a member of the Council, and shall be eligible for re-election.
7. No person shall be a member of the Council if —
(a)
he is not a citizen or a permanent resident of Singapore;
(b)
he is not a registered dentist;
(c)
he is an undischarged bankrupt;
(d)
he has been convicted in Singapore or elsewhere of any offence involving fraud or dishonesty, or implying a defect in character which makes him unfit for his profession;
(e)
he has been found guilty in Singapore or elsewhere of any improper act or conduct which brings disrepute to his profession;
(f)
he has been found guilty in Singapore or elsewhere of professional misconduct; or
(g)
his fitness to practise dentistry is judged by the Health Committee to be impaired by reason of his physical or mental condition.
8.
—(1) The office of a member of the Council shall become vacant if the member —
(a)
dies;
(b)
resigns his office;
(c)
is incapacitated by physical or mental illness;
(d)
becomes subject to any of the disqualifications specified in section 7;
(e)
without any good and sufficient reason, refuses to accept an appointment as a member of a Disciplinary Committee or the Health Committee; or
(f)
being a member appointed by the Minister under section 3(2)(a), has his appointment revoked before the expiry of his term of office.
(2) The Council may, with the approval of the Minister, remove from office any member of the Council who is absent without leave of the Council from 3 consecutive meetings of —
(a)
the Council; or
(b)
a Disciplinary Committee, or the Health Committee, of which he is a member.
(3) Any question as to whether a person has ceased to be a member of the Council shall be determined by the Minister whose decision shall be final.
(4) If any vacancy arises among the elected members, the Council shall, as soon as practicable, take the necessary action for the election of a person to fill the vacancy.
(5) If any vacancy arises among the appointed members, the Minister may appoint a person to fill the vacancy in the manner in which the appointment to the vacant office was made.
(6) The Council may act notwithstanding any vacancy in the membership of the Council.
(7) No act done by or by the authority of the Council shall be invalid in consequence of any defect that is afterwards discovered in the appointment or election or qualification of the members or any of them.
9.
—(1) The Council shall meet at such times and places as the President of the Council may appoint.
(2) The Registrar may exercise the power of the President referred to in subsection (1) in the absence of the President and at the direction of at least 2 of the members of the Council.
(3) At any meeting of the Council, 4 members shall form a quorum.
(4) The President shall preside at any meeting of the Council and, in his absence, such member as the members present may elect shall preside at that meeting.
(5) The member presiding at any meeting of the Council shall have an original vote and, in the case of an equality of votes, a casting vote.
10. The Council may appoint an executive secretary and other employees on such terms as the Council may determine.
11.
—(1) The Council may appoint one or more committees for any general or special purpose which, in the opinion of the Council, may be better dealt with or managed by a committee, and the Council may delegate to any committee so appointed, with or without restrictions or conditions as it thinks fit, any of the powers or functions which may be exercised or performed by the Council.
(2) The number and term of office of the members of a committee appointed under this section and the number of those members necessary to form a quorum shall be fixed by the Council.
(3) A committee appointed under this section may include persons who are not members of the Council.
(4) The Council may continue to exercise any power conferred upon it or perform any function under this Act notwithstanding the delegation of such power or function under this section.
(5) This section shall not apply in relation to a Complaints Committee, a Disciplinary Committee or the Health Committee.