The inauguration of the South African Dental Technicians Council (SADTC) today followed the appointment of new members by the Ministry of Health for a five year term to mark a significant milestone towards overhauling of the National Health System in South Africa.
The National Health Act, 2003 (Act No. 61 of 2003), as amended, provides for a transformed national health system for South Africa, and empowers the Minister of Health to put in place mechanisms and interventions in place to ensure that the constitutional right of access to health for all is realised.
The Statutory Health Professional Councils (SHPC), including the Dental Technicians Council, focuses on the provision of quality Human Resources for Health and health care. The SHPC’s are required to define the regulations for scopes of practice and competency, oversee the clinical training environment, protect the public from malpractice, as well as register health professionals and meet member needs.
The new SADTC members, under the new leadership of Mrs Catherine Makwakwa and her Deputy President Mr Louis Steyn, will be responsible for determining the strategic direction of the Council and to ensure full implementation of the Dental Technicians Act, 1979 (Act No. 19 of 1979), as amended, hereafter referred to as the Act. As such, the appointment of the Registrar should be considered a priority by the new Council members to assist the Council in executing its mandate successfully. The Registrar shall act as secretary to the Council.
In her address the Deputy Minister of Health Dr Gwen Ramokgopa urged Council members to put in place governance systems and processes, and that they ensure the Council upholds the standards and norms of the profession.
The SADTC is established in terms of the Dental Technicians Act, 1979 (Act No. 19 of 1979),as amended, to regulate the professions of dental technicians and dental technologists, and also provide for matters connected therewith. Hence the objects of the Council as provided for in section 3 of the Act are as follows:
a. To assist in the promotion of dentistry in the Republic;
b. To control all matters relating to the education and training of dental technicians or dental technologists and the exercising of the practices in the supplying, making, altering or repairing of artificial dentures or other dental appliances or any other work pertaining to such dentures or appliances;
c. To promote liaison of the education and training, and the manner of the exercise of the practices, referred to in (b) above, both in the Republic and elsewhere, and to promote the standards of such education and training and the manner of the exercise of such practices in the Republic;
d. To promote good relations between dentists, clinical dental technologists, dental technicians and dental technologists and other supplementary dental health services personnel;
e. To advice the Minister on any matter falling within the scope of the Act; and
f. To communicate to the Minister information on matters of public importance acquired by the Council in the course of the performance of its functions under this Act.
The SADTC has 11 members and is constituted as follows:
a. The Director of Oral Health of the Department of Health;
b. Five persons appointed by the Minister of whom:
i. One person is a dentist attached to a University having a dental faculty;
ii. One dental technician or a dental technologist attached to an institution at which dental technicians or dental technologists are educated and trained; and
iii. Three members of the public who are appointed after publication of a notice through the media for nominations by the public and who are not registered in terms of the Act, or the Medical, Dental and Supplementary Health Service Professions Act, 1974 (Act No. 56 of 1974), of whom at last one (1) is appointed on account of his or her knowledge of the law;
c. Two dental technician contractors nominated and elected by dental technician contractors in the prescribed manner;
d. Two dental technicians or dental technologists who practice the profession of dental technician or dental technologist, as the case may be, as employees and who are nominated and elected in the prescribed manner by dental technicians or dental technologists, as the case may be, thus practicing the profession; and
e. One dentist nominated and elected by dentists in the prescribed manner.
In the main, the Council’s core function is to promote dentistry in the Republic and to control matters relating to the education and training of dental technicians or dental technologists. This new regulatory dispensation will assist the country to protect and nurture the field of dentistry and enhance our capacity towards attaining the vision of ‘A Long and Healthy Life for all South Africans’.
Enquiries:
Khutso Rabothata
Cell: 072 992 7171
Tel: 012 395 8481
