Health Professions Act, 1974 (Act No. 56 of 1974)RegulationsRegulations Defining the Scope of the Profession of Dental Therapy, 20162. Scope of the profession of dental therapy |
| (1) | The following acts are hereby specified as acts which shall, for the purposes of the application of the Act, be deemed to be acts pertaining to the professions of dental therapy: |
| (a) | The recording of patients' medical history and identification of medical risk cases that may complicate oral health treatment; |
| (b) | the recording of patients' dental history, the examination of patients, and the charting and diagnosis of their oral and dental status; |
| (c) | the diagnosis and identification of extra-oral and intra-oral abnormalities; |
| (d) | the debridement, scaling, non-surgical root planning, and polishing of teeth; |
| (e) | the direct restorative procedures; |
| (f) | the non-surgical removal of teeth and roots under local anaesthetics and placement of sutures, where appropriate; |
| (g) | the treatment of post-extraction complications, amongst other things, post-extraction bleeding and alveolar osteitis; |
| (h) | the application of primary preventive and therapeutic measures, including health promotion; |
| (i) | the emergency treatment of minor traumatic injuries to teeth and surrounding tissues; |
| (j) | the taking of intra-oral and extra-oral radiographs for the purpose of performing acts that pertain to the profession of dental therapy; |
| (k) | the prescribing of medication for the treatment of oral conditions relevant to the practice of dental therapy and as prescribed in Schedule 1, Annexure 2: Dental Therapists, published in Government Gazette No. 36827 of 13 September 2013, as amended from time to time; and |
| (l) | the performance of aesthetic procedure within the ambit of dental therapy. |
| (2) | A registered dental therapist must refer, to a dentist or dental specialist, all cases outside the scope of the profession of dental therapy which may include, but are not limited to— |
| (a) | pulpal exposure; |
| (b) | impacted teeth; |
| (c) | malocclusion; |
| (d) | the replacement of missing teeth, including the requirements for fixed and removable prostheses, or implants; or |
| (e) | oral and maxillofacial pathology. |
| (3) | Should a dental therapist not have received education and training in any of the acts referred to in subregulation (1),the dental therapist must undertake the appropriate training approved by the board, prior to undertaking any of such above acts. |
| (4) | A registered dental therapist may practise independently only after serving a period of at least one year under the control and clinical supervision of a registered dentist or another dental therapist registered in the category independent practice for at least three years and with the approval of the board. |