Outpatient Dental Service

Regulatory requirements

When is an Outpatient Dental Service licence needed?

You will require an Outpatient Dental Service licence if you:

• Perform any procedure and treat any disease, deficiency, deformity, malposition or lesion on or of the outpatient’s teeth or jaws or associated structures, whether intraorally or extraorally

• Perform radiographic work in connection with the outpatient’s teeth or jaws or associated structures.

• Administer an anaesthetic in connection with any procedure on the outpatient’s teeth or jaws or associated structures.

• Perform any procedure on, or give any treatment, advice or attendance to, an outpatient as preparatory to, or for the purpose of or for or in connection with, the fitting, inserting, fixing, constructing, repairing or renewing of dentures or dental appliances.

• Perform any procedure and give any treatment, advice or attendance as is usually performed or given by dentists.

• Provide any other healthcare service that is incidental to the provision of a healthcare service mentioned in the paragraphs above, including:

  • The conduct of any simple in vitro diagnostic test on the outpatient; and

  • The conduct of any ultrasound imaging on the outpatient.

For the legal definition of an Outpatient Dental Service, please refer to the First Schedule of the Act.

Applicable Specified Services and Mode of Service Delivery

Requirements to be a Clinical Governance Officer

An individual must be in good standing and fulfil all of the criteria below to be appointed as a Clinical Governance Officer (CGO).

1. For an individual to fulfil the requirements to be a CGO, he or she must:

   • Reside in Singapore during his or her appointment as a CGO

   • Be a fully registered dentist with the Singapore Dental Council (SDC) and hold a valid practising certificate

   • Fulfil one of the following:

     • Registered as a specialist under the Dental Registration Act, OR

     • Have full-time work experience as a dentist for at least 2 continuous years treating patients in the provision of either:

       • An Outpatient Dental Service,

       • An Ambulatory Surgical Centre Service,

       • An Acute Hospital Service, or

       • An equivalent healthcare institution under the PHMCA.

For further details on the qualifications, skills and competencies of a CGO, please refer to Regulation 6 of the Outpatient Dental Service Regulations.

2. For an individual to fulfil the suitability qualifications to be a CGO, he or she must not:

   • Have any of the following convictions, unless it is a spent conviction:

     • An offence involving fraud or dishonesty;

     • Offence under the HCSA, the PHMCA or any applicable Acts listed in the Annex A of the Code of Practice [PDF, 439KB];

     • An offence specified in the Third Schedule to the Registration of Criminals Act; or

     • Any other offence involving abuse, ill treatment, assault, or physical violence

   • Have a pending charge for an offence involving abuse, ill treatment, assault or physical violence

   • Be an undischarged bankrupt

   • Have had his or her healthcare professional registration(s) under MOH cancelled, removed, or suspended

   • Have been a director or manager of a healthcare service provider that had its registration or licence suspended, cancelled, or revoked

   • Have had his or her accreditation or approval to participate in MOH-administered public schemes revoked or suspended

   • Lack capacity within the meaning of the Mental Capacity Act 2008.

For further details on the suitability requirements for a Key Office Holder, please refer to the Code of Practice [PDF, 439KB].

Licence fee

The applicable licence fee for Outpatient Dental Service is $360 for each stand-alone Mode of Service Delivery (MOSD). A MOSD fee bundle might apply if you provide Outpatient Dental Service via multiple MOSDs, e.g. permanent premises alongside temporary premises and remote.