SINGAPORE – International-trained dental graduates might want to go a qualifying examination to be eligible for conditional registration and to subsequently apply to be absolutely registered dentists, after proposed modifications to the Dental Registration Act (DRA) have been authorised by Parliament on Monday (Aug 2).
The introduction of this new requirement is at the moment deliberate for Jan 1, 2029, mentioned Senior Minister of State for Well being Koh Poh Koon.
He famous that the proportion of foreign-trained dentists in Singapore had risen from 20 per cent (302 out of 1,484 dentists) in 2008 to 36 per cent (900 out of two,475) in 2019.
The Ministry of Well being mentioned in a press launch that the Singapore Dental Council (SDC) had noticed a excessive diploma of variability in abroad scientific practices and the dental curriculum of abroad universities, and that the brand new measures are being launched to make sure the standard of foreign-trained graduates practising in Singapore stay excessive.
At the moment, these with international levels recognised beneath the DRA can straight apply for conditional registration – which includes a interval of round two years of supervised work and a competency evaluation, earlier than making use of to be absolutely registered dentists.
These levels are from universities in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Eire, the UK and the USA.
For these with international levels not listed, the SDC evaluates them on a case-by-case foundation and should require candidates to go an examination.
The brand new amendments to the DRA would require all foreign-trained dental graduates to take and go this qualifying examination.
Administered by the Nationwide College of Singapore and overseen by SDC, the examination assesses a dental graduate’s scientific data and procedural abilities, and is comparable in scope and benchmarked to the requirements of the final-year examination of NUS’ dentistry school, mentioned Dr Koh.
“This new requirement… can even be sure that international dental graduates are conversant in the necessities for scientific observe in Singapore,” he added. “For instance, the native dental curriculum has in current occasions sharpened its give attention to core scientific normal dentistry abilities, and extra emphasis has been positioned on geriatric dentistry, contemplating the developments in Singapore’s demographics.”
Dr Koh additionally famous that the brand new measure would align Singapore with a number of different abroad jurisdictions which have adopted examination regimes, in response to Mr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang) asking if MOH might have merely faraway from its checklist of recognised universities these not producing graduates which might be as much as mark.
Nominated MP Shahira Abdullah, a dental surgeon herself, and Mr Louis Ng (Nee Quickly GRC) additionally requested if the variety of allowed makes an attempt on the examination may very well be elevated.
Dr Koh clarified that there can be no cap for foreign-trained Singapore residents and everlasting residents. International-trained non-residents, nevertheless, would have a most of two tries to go every of three elements of the examination – with every second try inside 12 months of the primary.
The checklist of dentistry levels within the DRA’s schedule can even be revised. Holders of those levels shall be routinely eligible to take the qualifying examination; others must apply to SDC for permission.
MOH pressured that each the qualifying examination requirement and the revised schedule would come into impact solely in 2029. College students at the moment enrolled in abroad dentistry programmes and graduating earlier than then, in addition to foreign-trained graduates who already maintain dental {qualifications}, won’t be affected.
“MOH and SDC will work intently with the dental group and different stakeholders to implement and operationalise these necessities,” mentioned Dr Koh.
“Within the coming months, SDC will interact dental college students who shall be affected by these modifications, to make sure that they perceive the brand new necessities and to deal with any considerations that they might have.”
