THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
1 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.B. No. 
JUNB $234 
‘- 
Introduced by SENATOR LUISA “LOI” P. EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Oral and dental health care practitioners are an important resource in our mission 
to provide complete health care services to our people. At the same time, it is our duty to 
maintain and safedard the standards of the medical profession. ’ 
The Philippine Dental Association has discovered that various dental services- 
from tooth extraction to orthodontic treatment - has increasingly been dispensed by 
unlicensed dental practitioners mostly through stealth or deceit. Some of these unlicensed 
dental practitioners have even gone to the extent of acquiring falsified dental licenses. 
If permitted to proliferate, the situation may give rise to adverse effects. This not 
only lowers the morale of the members of the medical profession, but also erodes the 
quality of dental health care received by our people. 
It is our duty to maintain the professionalism in the field of dental care as it is also 
our duty to safeguard our people from ‘’quack” doctors who, because of their practice, put 
our people at dental and other medical risks. 
- _  
The current penalties imposed by the Philippine Dental Act of 1965 is perceived 
to be too light to be an effective deterrent in the proliferation of illegal dental 
practitioners. Hence, it is proposed that the penalties for illegal dental practice provided 
for in Section 36 of Republic Act No. 4419 be increased to show our commitment against 
illegal dental practice. 
For all of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly requested. 
LUISA “LOI” P. EJERCITO ESTRADA 
Se b ator 


t 
, 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
Introduced by SENATOR LUISA “LOI” P. EJERCITO ESTFUDA 
AN ACT 
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED 4419 ALSO KNOWN AS THE 
PHILIPPINE DENTAL ACT OF 1965, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 14, Article IV of RA 4419 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
SEC. 14. DeJinition of practice of Dentistry. - A person shall be regarded 
as [engaged in the practice of] PRACTICING dentistry or rendering dental 
service, within the meaning and intent of this Act[,] who shall for a fee, salary, 
compensation, or [any form of3 reward[,] paid to him or through another, or even 
without such compensation or reward, perform any operation or part of an 
operation, upon the human mouth, jaws. teeth[,] and surrounding tissues; 
prescribe drugs or medicines for the treatment of oral diseases and lesions[;] or 
correct malpositions of the teeth: 
’ 
Provided, however, [Tlthat this provision shall not apply to the artisans or 
DENTAL technicians engaged in the mechanical construction of artificial dentures or 
fixtures [and] OR other oral devices, as long as none of such procedures is done inside 
the mouth of the patient; nor shall this provision apply to students of dentistry undergoing 
practical training in a legally constituted dental school or college under the direction or 
supervision of a member of the faculty who is duly licensed to practice dentistry in the 
Philippines; or to registered dental hygienists serving as [dentists] DENTAL assistants 
who may be allowed to perform PREVENTIVE oral [prophylaxis] HYGIENE 
PROCEDURES and [such] OTHER procedures which the law regulating the practice of 
dental hygienists may permit[.]; OR TO UNDERBOARD DENTAL GRADUATES 
WORKING AS DENTAL ASSISTANTS TO LICENSED AND REGISTERED 
DENTISTS AUTHORIZED TO PRACTICE DENTISTRY IN THE PHILIPPINES 
WHO ARE ENGAGED IN PRIVATE PRACTICE. PROVIDED THAT, THESE 


UNDERBOARD DENTAL GRADUATES WORK UNDER THEIR DIRECT 
SUPERVISION. 
SEC. 2. Section 15, Article IV of RA 4419 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
SEC. 15. Exemption from registration. - Certificates of Registration shall 
not be required of Commissioned dental officers of the army, navy and air forces 
of any foreign country[,] whose operations in the Philippines are permitted by the 
government, while rendering DENTAL service as such for the members of said 
forces only, aid of dentists [or] AND oral surgeons &om other countries who are 
invited for consultations [or] AND demonstrations[,]. [p]Provided, that in such 
cases their work shall be limited to the specific tasks assigned to them, and 
provided, further, THAT A SPECIAL PERMIT HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY 
GRANTED BY THE BOARD OF DENTISTRY STATING THEREIN THE 
DURATION OF SUCH PERMIT, [that a previous authority has been granted by 
the Board of Dental Examiners, who shall have the discretion to determine the 
duration of said authority,] but in no case shall it exceed the period of [thirty] 
FIFTEEN days SUBJECT TO EXTENSIO 
FOR ANOTHER FIFTEEN (15) 
DAYS; PROVIDED FURTHER THAT THE PHILIPPINE DENTAL 
ASSOCLATION, 
THROUGH 
ITS 
CO STITUENT 
CHAPTER 
AND 
AFFILIATE, MONITOR SUCH ACTWITIE . I 
SEC. 3. Section 17. Article rV of RA 4419 is ereby amended to read as follows: 
Sec. 17. Qualzjications for Admissio To Examination. - In order 
to be admitted to the licensure examination fo dentists, an applicant must, 
at the time of filing his application therefor e 1 
tablish to the satisfaction of 
the Board that: (a) he is a citizen of the Philippines; OR IF HE IS A 
CITIZEN OF ANY FOREIGN COUNTRY, THAT HE SATISFIES THE 
REQUIREMENT 
FOR 
FOREIGN 
RECIPROCITY 
AS 
CONTEMPLATED UNDER SECTION 38 OF THIS ACT, AS WELL 
AS THE PROVISIONS , OF THE RECIPROCITY AGREEMENT 
BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES WHETHER AN EXAMINATION 
IS REQUIRED OR NOT; (b) he possesses good moral character; (c) [he 
had finished at least a two-year pre-dental course which complies with the 
minimum requirements of the Council on Dental Educational and (d) he 
shall be a holder of the degree of either Doctor of Dental Medicine 
(D.M.D.) or Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.), or their equivalents, 
conferred by a recognized and legally constituted university, college, 
school or institute.] THAT HE IS A GRADUATE OF RECOGNIZED 


AND LEGALLY CONSTITUTED UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE, SCHOOL 
OR INSTITUTE WITH A DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF DENTAL 
MEDICINE OR ITS EQUIVALENT; AND (d) IF HE HAD FAILED IN 
EITHER 
THE 
THEORETICAL 
OR 
BOTH 
LICENSURE 
EXAMINATION FOR DENTISTS FOR THREE TIMES, HE MUST 
TAKE A REFRESHER COURSE FOR ONE YEAR IN A DENTAL 
SCHOOL OR COLLEGE ACCREDITED BY THE PROFESSIONAL 
REGULATION 
COMMISSION; 
PROVIDED 
THAT, 
SUCH 
APPLICANT MUST PRESENT A CERTIFICATION TO THIS EFFECT 
FROM THE DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY WHERE HE 
TOOK THE REFRESHER COURSE; AND PROVIDED, FURTHER, 
THAT THIS GIVES THE APPLICANT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR 
ANOTHER THREE EXAMINATIONS THEREAFTER, 
SEC. 4. Section 36, Article VI1 of RA 4419 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
SEC. 36. Penal Provisions. - (A) Any person who shall practice 
dentistry in the Philippines as defined in this [Act][,] without a certificate 
of registration issued in accordance with the provisions of this [Act][,]; or 
has been declared exempt[.]; (B) ANY OF THOSE TO WHOM THE 
DEFINITION OF THE PRACTICE OF DENTISTRY DOES NOT 
APPLY, SUCH AS, ARTISANS OR DENTAL 
TECHNICIANS 
ENGAGED 
IN 
THE 
MECHANICAL CONSTRUCTION OF 
ARTIFICIAL DENTURES OR FIXTURES AND OTHER ORAL 
DEVICES 
OR 
STUDENTS OF DENTISTRY, UNDERGOING 
PRACTICAL TRAINING, IF THEY LIKEWISE VIOLATE THE 
SAVING CLAUSE OF THE LAW, AND PERFORM Alvy OF THE 
ACTS CONSTITUTING THE PRACTICE OF DENTISTRY AS 
I 
DEFINED IN THIS LAW OUTSIDE OF THE CONFINES OF THE 
DENTAL SCHOOL OR COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY IN WHICH 
THEY ARE UNDERGOING SUCH PRACTICAL TRAINING UNDER 
THE DIRECTION OR SUPERVISION OF A MEMBER OF THE 
FACULTY WHO IS DULY LICENSED TO PRACTICE DENTISTRY 
IN THE PHILIPPINES OR UNDERBOARD DENTAL GRADUATES 
AS SPECIFIED BY SECTION 14 OF THIS ACT IF THEY DON'T 
WORK UNDER THE DIRECT SUPERVISION OF A DULY 
LICENSED DENTIST AS PROVIDED HEREIN; OR (C) any person 
presenting or using as his own the certificate of registration of another[,]; 


I 
or (D) any person who shall give any false or forged evidence to the Board 
in obtaining a certificate of registration[,]; or (E) ANY PERSON WHO 
SHALL IMPERSONATE ANY 
REGISTRANT 
OF LIKE 
OR 
DIFFERENT NAME; or (F) any person who shall assume, use or 
advertise as a bachelor of dental surgery, doctor of dental surgery, master 
of dental surgery, licentiate of dental surgery, doctor of dental medicine, 
or dental surgeon, or append to his name the letter D.D.S, B.D.S., L.D.S., 
OR D.M.D. without having been conferred such title or decree in a legally 
constituted school, college or university, duly recognized and authorized 
to confer the same, or OTHER DEGREES; or (G) advertise any title or 
description tending to convey the impression that he is a dentist without 
holding a valid certificate of registration from the Board, (H) USE 
REVOKED AND/OR EXPIRED LICENSE; or (I) any person who shall 
violate any provision of this Act[,]; [shall be guilty of misdemeanor and 
shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to a fine of not less than three 
thousand pesos nor more man five thousand pesos or to suffer 
imprisonment for a period of not less than one year nor more than five 
years, or both, in the discretion of the court.] OR ANY RULE OR 
REGULATION WITHIN ITS AUTHORITY, SHALL BE GUILTY OF 
FELONY AND UPON CONVICTION, BE SENTENCED TO A FINE 
OF NOT LESS THAN FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (P50,OOO.OO) NOR 
MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P200,OOO.OO) 
OR TO SUFFER IMPRISONMENT FOR A PERIOD OF NOT LESS 
THAN TEN YEARS AND ONE DAY NOR MORE THAN TWENTY 
(20) YEARS OR BOTH. 
SEC. 5. Section 37, Article VI1 of RA 4419 is hereby amended to read as follows; 
Sec. 37. Display of Name and Certzjcate of Registration. - Every 
registered practicing dentist shall display in a conspicuous place in the 
[house] BUILDING or office where he practices, his name and surname 
and he shall further display his certificate of registration in his office in 
plain sight of patients [occupying his dental chair] WHO ENTER THE 
DENTAL OFFICE, OR DENTAL CLINIC. IN THE CASE WHERE THE 
DENTIST HAS MORE THAN ONE CLINIC, HE SHALL DISPLAY 
HIS ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION IN HIS M A N  
OFFICE OR CLINIC, AND SHALL DISPLAY A COPY OF HIS 
CERTIFIED ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION IN THE 


OTHER BRANCH OR BRANCHES OF HIS PRACTICE. [Any owner or 
proprietor of a dental office or establishment is also under obligation to 
display, in conspicuous places in the office or establishment, and to 
display the certificates of registration of each and everyone herebefore 
provided.] 
SEC. 6. Section 38, Article VI1 of RA 4419 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
Sec. 38. Foreign Reciprocity. - Except in the case of persons 
otherwise exempt under the provisions of this Act, no dentist who is a 
citizen of a foreign country or a particular state shall be granted any of the 
rights or privileges under this Act, unless the country or state of which he 
is a subject or [a] citizen permits dentists who are Filipino citizens to 
practice within its territorial limits on the same basis as the subjects or 
citizens of such country or state, but under no circumstance shall such a 
set-up be initiated by the Philippine [g]Government[ .]; PROVIDED 
HOWEVER, THAT SUCH FOREIGN DENTIST SHOULD BE 
LICENSED BY THE PROFESSIONAL REGULATION COMMISSION. 
SEC. 7. Repealing Clause. - All laws, or portions thereof, orders, ordinances, or 
rules and regulations in conflict with the provisions of this Act, as pertain to the practice 
of Dentistry shall be, and are hereby repealed. 
SEC. 8. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect upon its approval. 
Approved, 
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