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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 9 Hansard (29 August) . . Page.. 2754 ..

MRS CARNELL (continuing):

In order to be entitled to unconditional registration as a dental hygienist, a person must be a graduate of a course of education or training as a dental hygienist offered by an Australian institution, being a course that is accredited by the board or by a registration authority of a State or another Territory; or have completed a course of education or training as a dental hygienist in a place outside Australia which is substantially equivalent to an Australian course and which is accredited by the board, passed such examinations as the board requires and undertaken such training or gained such experience in practising as a dental hygienist, for such period as the board requires, but again not exceeding 12 months.

To be eligible for registration as a specialist dentist, a person must be a registered dentist, hold a qualification in a specialist branch of dentistry, being a course that is accredited by the board or approved by a registration authority in another State or Territory, and have gained experience in that specialist branch of dentistry by holding an appointment in a hospital approved by the board, or by practising in such circumstances as the board considers warrants the person being regarded as a specialist dentist.

In addition to unconditional registration, the Dental Board has a discretionary power to register a person as a dentist "with conditions" in certain circumstances. Under these provisions, the board may impose such conditions on a person's registration as it considers appropriate so as to limit the person's ability to practise in a way that the Dental Board considers reasonable for that person in the interests of public safety. The Bill provides for new registration arrangements and distinguishes "initial registration" from subsequent streamlined mutual recognition procedures for registered dentists, dental specialists and dental hygienists from participating jurisdictions under the mutual recognition arrangements.

The Dental Board's disciplinary powers have been expanded to provide for a range of uniform sanctions which can be imposed, either singularly or in combination, on a person's registration as a result of disciplinary action or in cases of impairment. There is, however, a requirement for the board to hold an inquiry prior to imposing any of the expanded range of sanctions on a person's registration. Where a dentist or dental hygienist has had conditions imposed on his or her registration under the impairment provisions, that person may request the board to review those conditions. If the board is satisfied that the impairment has lessened or that the person no longer suffers from that impairment, it may remove the conditions or impose new conditions on the person's registration. If the board refuses to review the conditions imposed on a person's registration under these circumstances, there is a right of appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

The provisions pertaining to registration as a specialist dentist have been drafted to require a person to remain registered as a dentist, and, where conditions have been imposed on a person's registration, those conditions will equally apply to the person's registration in both categories. Mr Speaker, whilst dental therapists are not registered under the Dentists Registration Act 1931, the provisions relating to that occupational group in the ACT have been expanded by this Bill. Dental therapists are public servants employed by the Department of Health and Community Care who work within the School Dental Service. The Bill inserts into the Act a list of dentistry procedures

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