The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), Professional Board of Dental Therapy and Oral Hygiene advises Dental Assistants and other stakeholders that it has submitted recommendations to the Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi; to promulgate amendments to the regulations relating to the qualifications for the Registration of Dental Assistants.
These regulations and recommendations are awaiting final approval and promulgation by the Minister of Health. As soon as the amended regulations are promulgated by the Minister, unqualified, but experienced Dental Assistants will be registrable for a period of two years under these regulations, and in order to remain registered they will need to complete a Professional Board examination. There will be four (4) examinations offered in each of the nine provinces each year, and candidates will be afforded three opportunities to complete the Board examination. Failure to successfully complete the examination will result in a discontinuation of registration as a Dental Assistant.
Those Dental Assistants who have not completed the Board examination will have to acquire a formal dental assisting qualification from the HPCSA’s recognised and accredited institutions of Higher Education.
The Professional Board of Dental Therapy and Oral Hygiene recognises the immense importance and value of Dental Assistants and reassures all unregistered and experienced Dental Assistants that every effort has been, and will continue to be made to ensure that these Dental Assistants are provided with an opportunity to be registered with the HPCSA so that they can practice their profession legally within South Africa.
The Professional Board of Dental Therapy and Oral Hygiene further advises the Dental Assistants that a it has made a submissions to the Council of the HPCSA for the provision of a fully staffed and equipped registration office that would be dedicated to the registration of Dental Assistants for a period of four (4) months, and that the establishment of such an office has been approved. This office is in addition to the off-site registration process and facilities that are being made available in the various provinces.
The Professional Board for Dental Therapy and Oral Hygiene urges all Dental Assistants to take full advantage of this registration period and further to register as soon as the amendments are promulgated.
For additional information, please closely monitor the HPCSA website (www.hpcsa.co.za) as the date of the initial registration will be made available as soon as the regulations are promulgated.
Last Updated on 4 April 2016 by HPCSA Corporate Affairs