Dentists Regulation

 

Regulations are created by government for each health profession governed under the HPA.


The Dentists Regulation is part of the four main components involved in dentists and CDAs being regulated under the Health Professions Act. Each regulation outlines reserved titles that only registrants of a particular college may use and a scope of practice for that profession.


Scope of practice


The scope of practice is articulated as a set of restricted activities that members of that profession are authorized to perform. The Regulations also designate the College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia as the regulatory authority for dentists and CDAs. The Dentists Regulation addresses reserved titles, outlines the scope of practice of dentists and defines restricted activities that may be performed by dentists based on their education and competence.


Scope of practice statements describe in general terms what a profession does and how it does it. Dentists may practice dentistry, which is defined as:


"the health profession in which a person provides the services of assessment, management, treatment and prevention of diseases, disorders and conditions of the orofacial complex and associated anatomical structures."


Restricted activities for dentists


Restricted Activities are a narrowly defined list of invasive, higher risk activities that may only be performed by members of a regulated profession that has been granted specific authority by government to do so.


Government allows for each profession regulated under the HPA to perform a list of specific restricted activities that they may perform within the scope of practice of their profession, provided the individual has the knowledge, skills and competencies to do so. The same restricted activities may be granted fully or in part to more than one profession.


The restricted activities for dentists are listed on page 3 and 4 of the Dentists Regulation.


  

© The College of Dental Surgeons, 2010