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Dental Technicians Act, 1979 (Act No. 19 of 1979)

Notices

Acts or Omissions of Dental Technicians and Technologists in respect of which the Council may take Disciplinary Action

11. Canvassing for dental technology work

 

(1) For the purposes of this clause , canvassing for dental technology work includes—

(a)

(i) canvassing, in person, of employed dental technicians or dental technologists as potential employees during working hours at the place of employment of such potential employees, but this excludes electronic mass communications regarding available work opportunities; and
(ii) offering or accepting any discount from any dentist on the agreed price for dental technology work—
(aa) with the intention that the difference between the amount agreed upon and the discounted amount reflecting on the invoice will be paid to the dentist directly or indirectly either in monetary terms, gifts, favours or otherwise; or
(bb) representing him or herself or allowing him or herself to be represented, directly or indirectly, as being prepared to do dental technology work at less than such agreed price ;
(b) directly or indirectly allowing him or herself to be advertised in order to draw attention to his or her practice, services or his or her professional proficiency, knowledge and qualifications for his or her immediate or eventual professional gain;
(c) permitting the publication of his or her name in connection with advertisements for dental instruments, appliances or materials;
(d) permitting the publication of his or her name in connection with advertisements or appeals to the public on behalf of medical health funders, associations or similar commercial organisations; and
(e) advertising in any public space, including on public dustbins, at bus stations and taxi ranks, on vehicles or billboards intended for mass advertising or any similar facilities or spaces; and

 

(2) Despite subclause (1), a dental technician or dental technologist who is also a dental technician contractor and whose laboratory is registered in accordance with the Act, may not be regarded as being guilty of canvassing for work if he or she—
(a) advertises in dental technology, dental or related journals or publications recognised by the council;
(b) communicates to another dental technician contractor or dentist—
(i) that he or she has started a dental laboratory or that he or she is prepared to do dental technology work, specifying only the type of dental technology work that he or she is prepared to do; or
(ii) a change of address, or a dissolution of a partnership and the like, which communications must be in writing and enclosed in an envelope bearing the name of the individual dental technician contractor or dentist to whom they are addressed, or by direct electronic  communication;
(c) publishes, in normal print or electronically, in any official national, regional or local telephone directory—
(i) his or her name, profession and the name and profession of any partner, or the name of his or her business as approved by the council;
(ii) his or her professional or business address; and
(iii) his or her fixed line telephone number or his or her and any partner's FICA registered mobile numbers;
(d) affixes on envelopes for his or her use, his or her name or the name of his or her business as approved by the council, without any title or qualifications and a return address in case of non-delivery;
(e) in the case of the laboratory being situated in a large building and he or she displays his or her details or the details of his or her business, in accordance with a special provision made by the landlord of the building or the landlord's agent, in the entrance hall of the building and on the floor where the laboratory is situated;
(f) where no provision is made as contemplated in subclause (2)(e) and in accordance with the bylaws as applicable in the various provinces or local authorities, affixes or causes to be affixed a nameplate not exceeding 1200mm x 600mm at one or more entrances to the building in which his or her laboratory is situated, or at the gate of the premises if the laboratory is situated in a freestanding property, the nameplate must contain no more than—
(i) his or her name, or the name of his or her business as approved by the council;
(ii) the words "Dental Technician Contractor" and his or her official qualification  abbreviation;
(iii) the words "Registered with the SADTC"; and
(iv) the number of the room/s and floor/s where the laboratory is situated;
(g) affixes or causes to be affixed to the door or directly next to the door leading to his or her laboratory, a nameplate on which his or her name appears, or the name of his or her business as approved by the council, together with the words "Dental Technician Contractor", his or her official qualification abbreviation and the words "Registered with the SADTC";
(h) the purpose of the signage referred to in subclause (3)(e), (f) and (g) is to inform and not to advertise and professional integrity must be applied when designing such nameplate;
(i) participating in any national event where dentistry or dental technology is promoted to members of the public with the intention to educate and raise general awareness regarding oral health care; and
(j) the following official qualification abbreviations are applicable in terms of subclause (3)(f) and (g):
(i) Prof. Cert. of Comp.:

Professional Certificate of Competence which was issued by the South African Dental Mechanicians Board as mandated in terms of the Dental Mechanicians Act, 1945 (Act No. 30 of 1945) and which allowed the bearer to be registered with the board as a dental mechanician which is now referred to as a dental technician in terms of section 18 of the Act;

(ii) Dip: Dental Technology (SADTC):

Diploma in Dental Technology issued by the SADTC based on the training offered at an approved institution which replaced the Professional Certificate of Competence and allows the bearer to be registered as a dental technician or dental technologist in terms of section 18 of the Act;

(iii) ND: Dental Technology (CPUT), (OUT) or (TUT):

National Diploma in Dental Technology which is either post 23 February 2001, bing a diploma offered by a council approved  institution as contemplated in section 18 of the Act, or a pre-23 February 2001 diploma issued by the Department of National Education in terms of SADTC Regulations R2309 of 16 October  1987 without registration status;

(iv) BTech: Dental Technology (CPUT), (OUT) or (TUT):

Baccalaureus Technologiae degree in Dental Technology, being a qualification as contemplated in section 18 of the Act;

(v) MTech: Dental Technology  (CPUT), (OUT) or (TUT):

Magister Technologiae  degree in Dental Technology, being a qualification as contemplated in section 18 of the Act; and

(vi) DTech: Dental Technology (OUT) or (TUT):

Doctor Technologiae degree in Dental Technology, being a qualification as contemplated in section 18 of the Act.

(vii) The anticipated new qualifications aligned to the current NQSF, in due cause will replace the current National Diploma: Dental Technology leading to the professional registration as a dental technician as well as the BTech: Dental Technology leading to professional registration as dental technologist will seize to exist post the 2019 academic year.

The Diploma: Dental Technology (240 or 360 credits) and the Advanced Diploma: Dental Technology will replace the current National Diploma; while the Post Graduate Diploma: Dental Technology and Professional Degree: Dental Technology will replace the current BTech: Dental Technology.

(viii) The MTech: Dental technology and the DTech: Dental Technology has already been replaced by a Masters in Health Science (MHSc) and Doctorate in Philosophy (PhD): Dental Technology.  In Both these qualifications there may be students registered for the MTech and DTech completing under these phase-out qualifications.  Since 2017 no new students were resisted under these qualifications.
(ix) Institutions approved by council will introduce and offer the NQSF qualifications as they obtain the necessary approval from CHE and other authorities both internal and external to these institutions.