XN000022-1996-05-29 — Page 24

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Dentists Registration (Amendment) Bill

Following is the speech by the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, in moving the second reading of the Dentists Registration (Amendment) Bill 1996 in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Mr President,

I move that the Dentists Registration (Amendment) Bill 1996 be read the second time.

This Bill proposes two changes. The first proposed change concerns the Licensing Examination. Under the existing Dentists Registration Ordinance, applicants whose standard of achievement is equivalent to the passing of the Licensing Examination are qualified to be registered as dentists in Hong Kong. However, the Ordinance does not specify the qualification which is recognised for this purpose, that is, the award of a degree of dentistry by the University of Hong Kong. We propose to spell out clearly the qualification deemed to be equivalent to the passing of the Licensing Examination for the purpose of registration of dentists in the Ordinance.

The second proposed change is to require the applicant to show that he has not been convicted in Hong Kong or elsewhere of any offence punishable by imprisonment, when he applies for the issuance and renewal of practising certificates. This is necessary because the Secretary of the Dental Council is not empowered under the existing Ordinance to ask the applicant to submit such information, but such information is required in order for the Secretary to issue or renew the practising certificates.

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