30. National Register and State Register.—(1) The Ethics and Dental Registration
Board shall maintain an online and live National Register for Dentists containing the name,
address, all recognised qualifications possessed by a licensed dentist and such other
particulars as may be specified by regulations.
(2) The Ethics and Dental Registration Board shall also maintain a separate online and
live National Register for each category of dental auxiliaries, containing the name, address,
recognised qualifications possessed by the dental auxiliaries and such other particulars as
may be specified by regulations.
(3) The National Register referred to in sub-sections (1) and (2) shall be maintained in
such form, including in electronic or digital form and in such manner as may be specified by
regulations.
(4) The manner in which a name or qualification may be added to, or removed from, the
National Register and the grounds for removal thereof, shall be such as may be specified by
regulations.
(5) The National Register shall be a public document within the meaning of section 74
of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (1 of 1872).
(6) The National Register shall be made available to the public in form of a digital portal
accessible on the website of the Ethics and Dental Registration Board in such manner and
form as may be specified by regulations.
(7) Every State Dental Council shall maintain and regularly update the State Register for
Dentists and the State Register for dental auxiliaries in the specified electronic format and
supply a physical copy of the same to the Ethics and Dental Registration Board within three
months of the commencement of this Act.
(8) The Ethics and Dental Registration Board shall ensure electronic synchronisation of
the National Register and the State Registers in such manner that any change in one register
is automatically reflected in the other register.
31. Rights of persons to have licence to practice and to be enrolled in National
Register or State Register and their obligations thereto.—(1) Any person who qualifies
the National Exit Test (Dental) held under section 15 shall be granted a licence to practice
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dentistry and shall have his name and qualifications enrolled in the National Register or a
State Register, as the case may be:
Provided that a person who has been registered in the Indian Dental Register maintained
under the Dentists Act, 1948 (16 of 1948) prior to the coming into force of this Act and
before the National Exit Test (Dental) becomes operational under sub-section (3) of section
15, shall be deemed to have been registered under this Act and be enrolled in the National
Register maintained under this Act.
(2) No person who has obtained dental qualification from a dental institution established
in any country outside India and is recognised as a dentist in that country, shall, after the
commencement of this Act and the National Exit Test (Dental) becomes operational under
sub-section (3) of section 15, be enrolled in the National Register unless he qualifies the
National Exit Test (Dental).
(3) When a person whose name is entered in the State Register or the National Register,
as the case may be, obtains any title, diploma or other qualification for proficiency in
sciences or public health or dentistry which is a recognised dental qualification under
section 33 or section 34 or section 35, as the case may be, he shall be entitled to have such
title, diploma or qualification entered against his name in the State Register or the National
Register, as the case may be, in such manner as may be specified by regulations.
32. Bar to practice.—(1) No person other than a person who is enrolled in the State
Register or the National Register, as the case may be, shall—
(a) be allowed to practice dentistry as a qualified dentist;
(b) hold office as a dentist or any other office, by whatever name called, which is
meant to be held by a dentist;
(c) be entitled to sign or authenticate a medical or fitness certificate or any other
certificate relating to dentistry, required by any law to be signed or authenticated by a
duly qualified dentist;
(d) be entitled to give evidence at any inquest or in any court of law as an expert
under section 45 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (1 of 1872) on any matter relating to
dentistry:
Provided that a foreign citizen who is enrolled in his country as a dentist in accordance
with the law regulating the registration of dentists in that country may be permitted
temporary registration in India for such period and in such manner as may be specified by
regulations.
(2) Any person who contravenes any of the provisions of this section shall be punished
with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend
to five lakh rupees or with both.