1978L0687 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 003.001 — 1
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►B COUNCILDIRECTIVE
of25July1978
concerningthecoordinationofprovisionslaiddownbylaw,regulationoradministrativeactionin
respectoftheactivities ofdentalpractitioners
(78/687/EEC)
(OJ L 233, 24.8.1978, p. 10)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
►M1Directive 2001/19/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of
14 May 2001L 206 1 31.7.2001
Amended by:
►A1Act of Accession of Austria, Sweden and Finland C241 21 29.8.1994
(adapted by Council Decision 95/1/EC, Euratom, ECSC) L 1 1 1.1.1995
►A2Act concerning the conditions of accession of the Czech Republic, the
Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia,
the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of
Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the SlovakRepublic and the adjustments to the Treaties on which the EuropeanUnion is foundedL 236 33 23.9.2003
▼B
COUNCILDIRECTIVE
of25July1978
concerningthecoordinationofprovisionslaiddownbylaw,regula-
tion or administrative action in respect of the activities of dental
practitioners
(78/687/EEC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic
Community, and in particular Articles 49, 57, 66 and 235 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (
1),
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social
Committee (2),
Whereas, with a view to achieving the mutual recognition of diplomas,
certificates and other evidence of the formal qualifications in dentistry,laid downby Coun cil Directive 78/686/EEC of 25 July 1978concerning the mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates and other
evidence of the formal qualifications of practitioners of dentistry,
including measures to facilitate the effective exercise of the right ofestablishment and freedom to provide services (
3), the comparable
nature of training courses in the Member States enables coordinationin this field to be confined to the requirement that minimum standardsbe observed, which thenleaves the Member States freedom of organ i-
zationas regards teachin g;
Whereas, with a view to mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates
and other evidence of formal qualifications of a practitioner of specia-lized dentistry and in order to put all members of the profession whoare nationals of the Member States on an equal footing within theCommunity, some coordination of the requirements for training as a
practitioner of specialized dentistry is necessary; whereas certain
minimum criteria should be laid down for this purpose concerning theright to take up specialized training, the minimum training period, themethod by which such training is given and the place where it is to becarried out, as well as the supervisionto which it should be subject;whereas these criteria only concern the specializations common to
several Member States;
Whereas it is necessary for reasons of public health to move within the
Community towards a common definition of the field of activity of theprofessional persons concerned; whereas this Directive does not at thisstage enable complete coordination to be achieved as regards the fieldof activity of dental practitioners in the various Member States;
Whereas Member States will ensure that, as from the implementation
of this Directive, the training of dental practitioners will provide them
with the skills necessary for carrying out all activities involving theprevention, diagnosis and treatment of anomalies and diseases of theteeth, mouth, jaws and associated tissues;
Whereas coordination of the conditions for the pursuit of these activ-
ities, as provided for under this Directive, does not exclude any
subsequent coordination;
Whereas the coordination envisaged by this Directive covers the
professional training of dental practitioners; whereas, as far as trainingis concerned, most Member States do not at present distinguishbetween dental practioners who pursue their activities as employedpersons and those who are self-employed; whereas for this reason andin order to encourage as far as possible the free movement of profes-1978L0687 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 003.001 — 2
(1) OJ No C 101, 4. 8. 1970, p. 19.
(2) OJ No C 36, 28. 3. 1970, p. 19.
(3) See page 1 of this Official Journal.
▼B
sional persons within the Community, it appears necessary to extend
the application of this Directive to dental practitioners pursuing theiractivities as employed persons;
Whereas, at the time of notification of this Directive, dentistry is prac-
tised in Italy solely by doctors, whether or not specializing in
odontostomatology; whereas, under this Directive, Italy is obliged to
create a new category of professional persons entitled to practisedentistry under a title other than that of doctor; whereas in creating anew profession Italy must not only introduce a specific system oftraining complying with the criteria laid down in this Directive, butalso set up structures proper to this new profession, such as a council,
for example; whereas, therefore, inview of the exten t of the measures
to be taken, Italy should be granted an additional period to allow it tocomply with this Directive,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
CHAPTER I
TRAININGREQUIREMENTS
Article 1
1. The Member States shall require persons wishing to take up and
pursue a dental profession under the titles referred to in Article 1 of
Directive 78/686/EEC to hold a diploma, certificate or other evidenceof formal qualifications ►
M1referred to in Annex A to that
Directive ◄which guarantees that during his complete training period
the person concerned has acquired:
(a) adequate knowledge of the sciences on which dentistry is based
and a good understanding of scientific methods, including the prin-ciples of measuring biological functions, the evaluation of
scientifically established facts and the analysis of data;
(b) adequate knowledge of the constitution, physiology and behaviour
of healthy and sick persons as well as the influence of the naturaland social environment on the state of health of the human being,inso far as these factors affect den tistry;
(c) adequate knowledge of the structure and function of the teeth,
mouth, jaws and associated tissues, both healthy and diseased, and
their relationship to the general state of health and to the physical
and social well-being of the patient;
(d) adequate knowledge of clinical disciplines and methods, providing
the dentist with a coherent picture of anomalies, lesions anddiseases of the teeth, mouth, jaws and associated tissues and ofpreventive, diagnostic and therapeutic dentistry;
(e) suitable clinical experience under appropriate supervision.
This training shall provide him with the skills necessary for carrying
out all activities involving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of
anomalies and diseases of the teeth, mouth, jaws and associated tissues.
2. A complete period of dental training of this kind shall comprise at
least a five-year full time course of theoretical and practical instruction
given in a university, in a higher-education institution recognized as
having equivalent status or under the supervision of a university andshall include the subjects listed in the Annex.
3. In order to be accepted for such training, the candidate must have
a diploma or a certificate which entitles him to be admitted for thecourse of study concerned to the universities of a Member State or tothe higher education institutions recognized as having equivalent status.
4. Nothing in this Directive shall prejudice any facility which may
be granted in accordance with their own rules by Member States inrespect of their ownterritory to authorize holders of diplomas, certifi-cates or other evidence of formal qualifications which have not been1978L0687 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 003.001 — 3
▼B
obtained in a Member State to take up and pursue the activities of a
dental practitioner.
Article 2
1. Member States shall ensure that the training leading to a diploma,
certificate or other evidence of formal qualifications as a practitioner of
specialized dentistry meets the following requirements at least:
(a) it shall entail the completion and validation of a five-year full-time
course of theoretical and practical instruction within the framework
of the training referred to in Article 1, or possession of the docu-
ments referred to in Article 7 (1) of Directive 78/686/EEC.
(b) it shall comprise theoretical and practical instruction;
(c) it shall be a full-time course of a minimum of three years' duration
supervised by the competent authorities or bodies;
(d) it shall be in a university centre, in a treatment, teaching and
research centre or, where appropriate, in a health establishmentapproved for this purpose by the competent authorities or bodies;
(e) it shall involve the personal participation of the dental practitioner
training to be a specialist in the activity and in the responsibilitiesof the establishments concerned.
2. Member States shall make the award of a diploma, certificate or
other evidence of formal qualifications as a practitioner of specializeddentistry subject to the possession of one of the diplomas, certificates
or other evidence of formal qualifications in dentistry referred to in
Article 1, or to the possessionof the documen ts referred to inArticle7 (1) of Directive 78/686/EEC.
3. Withinthe time limit laid downinArticle 8 Member States shall
designate the authorities or bodies competent to issue the diplomas,
certificates or other evidence of formal qualifications referred to inparagraph 1.
4. Member States may derogate from paragraph 1 (a). Persons in
respect of whom such derogation is made shall not be entitled to availthemselves of Article 4 of Directive 78/686/EEC.
Article 3
1. Without prejudice to the principle of full-time training as set out
in Article 2 (1) (c), and until such time as the Council takes a decisioninaccordan ce with paragraph 3, Member States may permit part-timespecialist training, under conditions approved by the competent
national authorities, when training on a full-time basis would not be
practicable for well-founded reasons.
2. The total period of specialized training may not be shortened by
virtue of paragraph 1. The standard of the training may not be
impaired, either by its part-time nature or by the practice of private,remunerated professional activity.
3. Four years at the latest after notification of this Directive and in
the light of a review of the situation, acting on a proposal from the
Commission, and bearing in mind that the possibility of part-timetraining should continue to exist in certain circumstances to be exam-ined separately for each specialization, the Council shall decidewhether the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 should be retained or
amended.
Article 4
As a transitional measure and notwithstanding Articles 2 (1) (c) and 3,
Member States whose provisions laid down by law, regulation oradministrative action permit a method of part-time specialist trainingat the time of notification of this Directive may continue to apply theseprovisions to candidates who have begun their training as specialists nolater thanfour years after the n otificationof this Directive. This period1978L0687 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 003.001 — 4
▼B
may be extended if the Council has not taken a decision in accordance
with Article 3 (3).
CHAPTER II
FIELDOFACTIVITY
Article 5
Member States shall ensure that dental surgeons shall generally be
entitled to take up and pursue activities involving the prevention, diag-nosis and treatment of anomalies and diseases of the teeth, mouth, jaws
and associated tissues in accordance with the regulatory provisions and
the rules of professional conduct governing the profession at the timeof notification of this Directive.
Those Member States which do not have such provisions or rules may
define or limit the pursuit of certain activities referred to in the first
subparagraph to an extent which is comparable to that existing in the
other Member States.
CHAPTER III
FINALPROVISIONS
Article 6
Persons covered by ►A2Articles 19, 19a, 19b, 19c and 19d ◄of
Directive 78/686/EEC shall be regarded as fulfilling the requirementslaid downinArticle 2 (1) (a).
For the purposes of applying Article 2 (2), persons covered by
►
A2Articles 19, 19a, 19b, 19c and 19d ◄of Directive 78/686/EEC
shall be treated in the same way as those holding one of the diplomas,
certificates or other evidence of formal qualifications in dentistry
referred to inArticle 1.
Article 7
This Directive shall also apply to nationals of Member States who, in
accordance with Council Regulation (EEC) No 1612/68 of 15 October1968 on freedom of movement for workers within the Community (
1),
are or will be pursuing, as employed persons, any of the activities
referred to inArticle 1 of Directive 78/686/EEC.
Article 8
1. Member States shall take the measures necessary to comply with
this Directive within 18 months of its notification and shall forthwithinform the Commission thereof. However, Italy shall take these
measures withina maximum of six years.
2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission the texts of
the main provisions of national law which they adopt in the fieldcovered by this Directive.
Article 9
Where a Member State encounters major difficulties in certain fields
when applying this Directive, the Commission shall examine these
difficulties in conjunction with that State and shall request the opinionof the Committee of Senior Officials on Public Health set up by Deci-sion75/365/EEC (
2), as last amended by Decision 78/689/EEC (3).
Where necessary, the Commission shall submit appropriate proposals to
the Council.1978L0687 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 003.001 — 5
(1) OJ No L 257, 19. 10. 1968, p. 2.
(2) OJ No L 167, 30. 6. 1975, p. 19.
(3) See page 17 of this Official Journal.
▼B
Article 10
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.1978L0687 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 003.001 — 6
▼B
ANNEX
Studyprogrammefordentalpractitioners
The programme of studies leading to a diploma, certificate or other
evidence of formal qualifications in dentistry shall include at least the
following subjects. One or more of these subjects may be taught in the
contextoftheotherdisciplinesorinconjunctiontherewith.
(a)Basic subjects
chemistry,
physics,
biology.
(b)Medico-biological subjects and general medical subjects
anatomy,
embryology,
histology, including cytology,
physiology,biochemistry (or physiological chemistry),
pathological anatomy,
general pathology,pharmacology,microbiology,
hygiene,
preventive medicine and epidemiology,radiology,physiotherapy,
general surgery,
general medicine, including paediatrics,oto-rhino-laryngology,
dermato-venereology,
general psychology — psychopathology — neuropathology,anaesthetics.
(c)Subjects directly related to dentistry
prosthodontics,
dental materials and equipment,
conservative dentistry,preventive dentistry,
anaesthetics and sedation in dentistry,
special surgery,special pathology,clinical practice,
paedodontics,
orthodontics,periodontics,
dental radiology,
dental occlusion and function of the jaw,professional organization, ethics and legislation,social aspects of dental practice.1978L0687 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 003.001 — 7