Dental Registration Act 1999 · 2022 Revised Edition · Part 5 · Disciplinary Proceedings and Health Committee Inquiries
50. Findings of Disciplinary Committee
Feedback & supportLast amended by an amending law of 2019.
Where a registered dentist or registered oral health therapist is found or judged by a Disciplinary Committee —
registered dentist
“registered dentist” means a person who is registered as a dentist under this Act and includes a person deemed to be a registered dentist under section 80(1), and “registered as a dentist” and “registration as a dentist” have corresponding meanings;
to have been convicted in Singapore or elsewhere of any offence involving fraud or dishonesty;
to have been convicted in Singapore or elsewhere of any offence implying a defect in character which makes him or her unfit for his or her profession;
to have been guilty of such improper act or conduct which, in the opinion of the Disciplinary Committee, brings disrepute to his or her profession;
to have been guilty of professional misconduct; or
to have contravened section 38 or 39,the Disciplinary Committee may exercise one or more of the powers set out in subsection (2).
The powers mentioned in subsection (1) are as follows:
by order direct the Registrar to remove the name of the registered dentist or registered oral health therapist concerned from the appropriate register;
by order suspend the registration of the registered dentist or registered oral health therapist concerned for a period of at least 3 months and not more than 3 years;
by order impose any conditions that are necessary to restrict the practice of the registered dentist or registered oral health therapist concerned in any manner that the Disciplinary Committee thinks fit for a period not exceeding 3 years;
by order impose on the registered dentist or registered oral health therapist concerned a penalty not exceeding $50,000;
by writing censure the registered dentist or registered oral health therapist concerned;
by order require the registered dentist or registered oral health therapist concerned to give any undertaking that the Disciplinary Committee thinks fit to abstain in future from the conduct complained of; (g)make any other order that the Disciplinary Committee thinks fit.
In any proceedings instituted under this Part against a registered dentist or registered oral health therapist consequent upon his or her conviction for a criminal offence, a Disciplinary Committee and the General Division of the High Court on appeal from any order of the Disciplinary Committee are to accept his or her conviction as final and conclusive.
registered oral health therapist
“registered oral health therapist” means a person registered as an oral health therapist under section 21;
A Disciplinary Committee may under subsection (2) order the registered dentist or registered oral health therapist concerned to pay to the Council the sums that it thinks fit in respect of costs and expenses of and incidental to any proceedings before the Disciplinary Committee and, where applicable, an Interim Orders Committee.
Disciplinary Committee
“Disciplinary Committee” means a Disciplinary Committee appointed under section 47;
The General Division of the High Court has jurisdiction to tax the costs mentioned in subsection (4) and any such order for costs made is enforceable as if it were ordered in connection with a civil action in the General Division of the High Court.
The Disciplinary Committee in ordering that costs be paid by the registered dentist or registered oral health therapist under this section may certify that costs for more than one solicitor be paid if it is satisfied that the issues involved in the proceedings are of sufficient complexity, and the certification by the Disciplinary Committee has the same effect as if it were a certification by a Judge in a civil action in the General Division of the High Court.
The costs and expenses mentioned in subsection (4) include —
the costs and expenses of any assessor and advocate and solicitor appointed by the Council for proceedings before the Disciplinary Committee and the Interim Orders Committee;
any reasonable expenses that the Council may pay to witnesses; and
any reasonable expenses that are necessary for the conduct of proceedings before the Disciplinary Committee and the Interim Orders Committee.[40