On 20/06/2013,
you requested for the version in force on 20/06/2013
incorporating all amendments published on or before 20/06/2013.
The closest version currently available is that of 20/04/2011.
PART IV
PRACTICE OF DENTISTRY
22.
—(1) Subject to sections 60 and 61, no person shall practise dentistry in Singapore unless he is a registered dentist and has in force a practising certificate.
[22/2007]
(1A) Subsection (1) shall not apply to any registered oral health therapist who has in force a practising certificate and who practises dentistry in Singapore in accordance with the scope of practice prescribed under section 62.
[22/2007]
(2) Any person who acts in contravention of subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence.
Liability of employer, etc., for practice of dentistry in contravention of section 22
23.
—(1) Where an offence is committed under section 22 by any person acting as an employee, an agent or a partner of another person, that other person shall also be guilty of an offence.
(2) It shall be a defence to a charge brought under subsection (1) if the defendant proves that the first-mentioned offence was committed without the defendant’s knowledge and that the defendant took reasonable precautions and exercised due diligence to prevent the commission of that offence.
Liability of registered dentist or registered oral health therapist for allowing another to act in contravention of section 22, etc.
24.
—(1) A registered dentist or registered oral health therapist who allows a person to practise dentistry in contravention of section 22 on any premises used by or under the control of that registered dentist or registered oral health therapist shall be guilty of an offence.
[22/2007]
(2) A registered dentist or registered oral health therapist who, by his presence, countenance, advice, assistance or co-operation has knowingly enabled a person, whether described as an assistant or otherwise, to practise dentistry in contravention of section 22 shall be guilty of an offence.
[22/2007]
(3) In any proceedings for an offence under subsection (1) or (2), it shall be a defence for the defendant to prove that —
(a)
the commission of the offence was due to a mistake on his part or to reliance on information supplied to him or to the act of another person or some other cause beyond his control; and
(b)
he took all reasonable precautions and exercised due diligence to prevent the commission of the offence.
(4) A registered dentist or registered oral health therapist who practises dentistry on any premises on which any person practises dentistry in contravention of section 22, knowing or having reason to believe that that person was practising dentistry on those premises in contravention of section 22, shall be guilty of an offence.
[22/2007]
25.
—(1) Any person whose registration as a dentist or an oral health therapist under this Act has been suspended under section 40 or 49 shall not practise dentistry during the period of his suspension.
[22/2007]
(2) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence.
26.
—(1) No person other than a registered dentist who has in force a practising certificate shall take or use the title of dentist, dental surgeon, registered dentist, qualified dentist, doctor of dental surgery, professor of dentistry, surgeon dentist, any prescribed title under section 31(5) or any name, title, addition or description implying, whether in itself or in the circumstances in which it is used, that that person is qualified to heal or treat dental disorders or derangement, whether by dentistry or any other means of any kind or description whatsoever.
(1A) No person other than a registered oral health therapist who has in force a practising certificate shall take or use the title of oral health therapist or any name, title, addition or description implying, whether in itself or in the circumstances in which it is used, that that person is qualified to heal or treat dental disorders or derangement, whether by dentistry or any other means of any kind or description whatsoever.
[22/2007]
27. Any person who —
(a)
procures or attempts to procure registration as a dentist or an oral health therapist under this Act, a certificate of registration or a practising certificate, by knowingly making or producing or causing to be made or produced any false or fraudulent declaration, certificate, application or representation, whether in writing or otherwise;
(b)
wilfully makes or causes to be made any false entry in the appropriate register;
(c)
forges or alters a certificate of registration or a practising certificate;
(d)
fraudulently or dishonestly uses as genuine a certificate of registration or a practising certificate which he knows or has reason to believe is forged or altered; or
(e)
buys, sells or fraudulently obtains a certificate of registration or a practising certificate,
shall be guilty of an offence.
[22/2007]
28. Any person who is guilty of an offence under section 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 or 27 shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $25,000 and, in the case of a second or subsequent conviction for an offence under any of those sections, to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.
29.
—(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, no person shall be entitled to demand, claim, accept, receive, retain or sue for or recover any fee or charge in any court for the carrying out of any act within the practice of dentistry unless, at the time of carrying out the act, he was registered as a dentist or an oral health therapist under this Act and had in force a practising certificate.
[22/2007]
(2) This section does not apply to any medical practitioner registered under the Medical Registration Act (Cap. 174).
30.
—(1) No qualification shall be entered in an appropriate register unless the Registrar is satisfied by such evidence as he may consider proper that the person claiming the qualification is entitled thereto.
[22/2007]
(2) Every person registered under this Act, who obtains any qualification in addition to the qualification by virtue of which he has been registered, may apply to the Council to have that additional qualification inserted in the relevant register.
[22/2007]
(3) The Council shall have power to decide on the additional qualifications which may be entered in an appropriate register.
[22/2007]
31.
—(1) A registered dentist or registered oral health therapist shall not use any qualification other than the qualifications which are entered in the Register of Dentists in respect of him, or which have been approved by the Council for his use.
[22/2007]
(2) A registered dentist whose name appears in the first division of the Register of Dentists shall not use any title, addition or designation other than —
(a)
the title, addition or designation which has been approved by the Council for his use; or
(b)
if his name has been entered in a list referred to in subsection (6) in respect of a title prescribed under subsection (5), the prescribed title.
[22/2007]
(3) A registered dentist whose name appears in the second division of the Register of Dentists shall not use any title, addition or designation other than that of “registered dentist”, “dentist” or, if his name has been entered in a list referred to in subsection (6) in respect of a title prescribed under subsection (5), the prescribed title.
[22/2007]
(4) Any registered dentist or registered oral health therapist who contravenes subsection (1), (2) or (3) may be subject to disciplinary proceedings under Part V and for the purposes of that Part, such contravention shall be deemed to be an act which brings disrepute to the profession of a registered dentist or registered oral health therapist, as the case may be.
[22/2007]
(5) If the Council is of the opinion that any branch of dentistry has become so distinctive that it would be for the convenience of the public or of the dental profession that registered dentists qualified to practise, or practising, in that branch of dentistry should use a distinctive title, the Council may, with the approval of the Minister, make regulations to prescribe appropriate titles and conditions under which they may be used.
(6) In the case of any prescribed title, regulations may provide —
(a)
for a list to be kept by the Council of the names of registered dentists who are qualified under such regulations to use that title; and
(b)
for any registered dentist who is so qualified to be entitled to have his name entered in the list.
(7) For the purposes of this section, “use”, in relation to any qualification, title, addition or designation, includes to exhibit or publish the qualification, title, addition or designation in any card, letter, stationery, nameplate, signboard, placard, circular, handbill or any notice displayed by the registered dentist concerned at any premises used by him for the practice of dentistry.
31A.
—(1) A registered dentist who is not registered under section 14C as a specialist in a branch of dentistry shall not —
(a)
practise dentistry or that branch of dentistry under the style or title of a specialist in that branch of dentistry, or under any name, title, addition or description implying that he is such a specialist or has any degree, qualification or experience in that branch of dentistry; or
(b)
advertise or hold himself out as a specialist in that branch of dentistry.
[22/2007]
(2) A registered dentist who contravenes subsection (1) may be subject to disciplinary proceedings under this Act.
[22/2007]
32.
—(1) The Council may, with the approval of the Minister, make regulations prohibiting a person to whom this section applies from performing such procedures within the practice of dentistry as are prescribed by those regulations.
(2) This section shall apply to any person deemed to be a registered dentist under section 64(1) on the ground that —
(a)
he is registered under the repealed Act immediately before 15th October 1999 by virtue of section 6(1)(e) of the repealed Act; or
(b)
he is the holder of a provisional certificate referred to in section 13 of the repealed Act which is in force immediately before 15th October 1999.