AN ACT TO REGULATE THE PRACTICE OF DENTISTRY

Case Overview and Summary

Summary of The Philippine Dental Act of 2007

Statement of Policy and Objectives (Sections 2-3):
- Recognizes the importance of dentists, dental hygienists, and dental technologists in nation-building.
- Aims to develop competent, productive, and morally upright dental professionals with world-class standards.
- Regulates the practice of dentistry, dental hygiene, and dental technology in the Philippines.
- Provides for licensure examinations, accreditation of dental specialties, continuing education, and enforcement of ethical codes.
- Stipulates penalties for violations of the Act.

Definition and Scope of Practice (Section 4):
- Defines the roles and scope of practice for dentists, dental hygienists, and dental technologists.

Professional Regulatory Board of Dentistry (Sections 5-12):
- Establishes the Professional Regulatory Board of Dentistry under the Professional Regulation Commission.
- Outlines the Board's composition, powers, functions, qualifications of members, term of office, compensation, and supervision.
- Requires the Board to submit an annual report to the Commission.

Licensure Examination and Registration (Sections 13-24):
- Requires licensure examinations for dentists, dental hygienists, and dental technologists.
- Specifies the qualifications for admission to the examinations (Sections 14-15).
- Outlines the examination process, rating system, and issuance of certificates and professional identification cards.
- Allows for registration without examination for dental hygienists and dental technologists under certain conditions (Section 27).
- Provides for the issuance of special/temporary permits to foreign dental professionals under specific circumstances (Section 24).
- Covers the refusal, revocation, suspension, reinstatement, and replacement of certificates and permits.

Practice of Dentistry, Dental Hygiene, and Dental Technology (Sections 25-32):
- Requires the adoption of a Code of Ethics and Code of Dental Practice (Section 25).
- Mandates the display of names and certificates of registration (Section 28).
- Establishes a continuing professional education program (Section 29).
- Requires the integration of dentists, dental hygienists, and dental technologists into one national organization (Section 30).
- Allows for foreign reciprocity under certain conditions (Section 31).
- Requires the maintenance of a roster of registered dental professionals (Section 32).

Penal Provisions and Enforcement (Sections 33-34):
- Imposes fines of not less than P200,000 nor more than P500,000, imprisonment of not less than two years and one day nor more than five years, or both, for various violations (Section 33).
- Mandates the enforcement of the Act by law enforcement officers at all levels of government (Section 34).

Miscellaneous Provisions (Sections 35-40):
- Provides for funding and implementation of the Act (Sections 35-37).
- Includes a separability clause and repealing clause for conflicting laws (Sections 38-39).
- Sets the effectivity date of the Act after publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation (Section 40).