Statement on Dentistry and the Medical Devices Regulation (MDR) 2017/745
The MDR is an essential piece of legislation for ensuring high-quality health care and a cornerstone of patient safety across Europe. Nevertheless, several years into the implementation of the MDR, there are numerous discrepancies and variations in interpretation of the role of dentists in relation to dental medical devices. This brief statement aims to outline and describe the nature of the dental practice, the dental treatment, and dental medical devices as part of it.
CED Position on ‘Direct to Consumer’ (DTC) Orthodontics, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Dentistry
The document was produced because there is an increased marketing of DTC orthodontics, potentially placing patients at risk since the procedure does not involve a comprehensive orthodontic diagnosis and treatment progress is not adequately supervised by a qualified dentist and/or specialist orthodontist. This is becoming an issue of concern in different countries and also interplays with the ongoing developments in EU legislation on eHealth and AI.
CED Position on the recognition of dental qualifications acquired in third countries
The document was developed based on the results of the CED survey on the topic as evidence on the process of qualifications recognition of dentists who received their diplomas in third countries and the satisfaction of the minimum training requirements under the Professional Qualifications Directive (PQD) in different CED member countries. Through the Position, the CED provides policy recommendations, such as rigorous scrutiny of third country qualifications, consistent recognition process, alignment with European standards when providing simplified or expedited recognition process and clear language requirements.
CED updated Resolution on the Profile of the Dentist of the Future – key driving forces in dentistry
The document reflects the profession’s latest trends and developments and includes principles of patient safety and awareness of their needs, in light of their complex medical profiles, as well as their relationship of trust with dentists. Moreover, the need for collaboration with other medical professionals and professions is mentioned and prevention is emphasized as a core principle to be followed and promoted by dentists.
CED updated Statement on Specialist Dentists
The CED General Meeting adopted a CED updated Statement on dental specialties, which emphasizes the increasing specialization of the profession, while keeping the CED position on the topic neutral.
Position on Dental Workforce Challenges
The issue of dental workforce challenges corresponds to the overall trend that Europe has been facing when it comes to healthcare professionals, with uneven distribution of numbers across and within countries. Through its Position, CED highlights the importance of addressing the status quo through targeted actions at all levels. Some of the dental profession’s main recommendations on facing workforce challenges include the adoption of tailored approach based on each country’s individual healthcare system and population requirements. Prevention should be prioritised and promoted within national healthcare systems, ensuring a reduction of costs, reducing the burden of disease, and improving public health as a whole.
Position on the European Health Data Space (EHDS)
The dental profession underlines that there are many discrepancies and variations in progress among Member States when it comes to use of electronic health records and dental data specifically. Furthermore, implementing and maintaining participation in the EHDS architecture brings numerous burdens to a dental practice. These include financial costs for software and hardware but also many hours dedicated to training and compliance – a time that dentists and their teams would devote to patient treatment and care. This is especially relevant for many smaller dental practices – for them, the increased financial and regulatory EHDS obligations could represent a significant challenge.
