The health resort considers the successful provision of the population testing in Slovakia for COVID-19 as one of the most important priorities. In this context, it appreciates the great interest of dentists to participate in the work of collection teams. For this reason, the Ministry has today amended the regulations so that dentists can also participate in the Joint Responsibility operation.
Ministry of Health SR on the amendment of Decree No 321/2005 Z.z. decided after communication with the authorities of the field of dental medicine as well as the president of the Slovak Chamber of Dentists. Health department management and experts have jointly concluded that for the needs of COVID-19 disease testing in Slovakia, dentists will be able to implement the collection of biological material to the person from the nasopharyngeal for the detection of respiratory viral disease.
Thanks to this joint decision, the list of health professions has been extended, which can be part of the health testing teams for COVID-19 virus disease and carry out direct swabs. The dentists have thus been moved from a group that will carry out activities related to the diagnostic test, but cannot directly perform the swab. The current health department considers the successful provision of global testing in Slovakia for COVID-19 as one of the most important priorities, and in this context the interest of dentists in participating in the work of the collection teams is welcome. We are pleased with this request and also the possibility that we could meet it. We continue to call on the paramedics, please come help with the weekend testing so that we can say together that we did the best we could. Register for www.joint responsibility.sk," stated Minister of Health Marek Krajčí.The scope of practice in the medical profession dentist is not in the valid relevant legislation detailed. The exercise of professional work activities is a brief description as defined in § 7 of the Decree of the Government of the Slovak Republic No. 296/2010 Coll. on professional competence for the exercise of the health profession, the way of further training of health professionals, the system of specialisations and the system of certified work activities, as amended, which is the transposition of Article 34 of Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the recognition of professional qualifications, as applicable: A dentist who has acquired professional competence in the performance of professional work activities, carries out separate professional work activities related to dental care, oral cavity and tissues and the related bodies which correspond to the scope and content of the acquired education. The medical profession of dentists is, under this Directive, an autonomous self-regulated profession with a coordination of education at European level, distinct from that of the doctor. This is an extremely demanding health profession requiring high expertise.
By amending the decree in question, dental practitioners will be allowed to perform without restrictions all the medical services for which they have acquired the relevant education.
Veterinary doctors
The Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic appreciates the efforts and interest in the involvement of veterinary doctors in the general testing of the population in Slovakia during the pandemic of COVID-19.Veterinary doctors may following an inspection of the briefing video related to the conduct of a diagnostic test to allow the direct detection of COVID-19 antigens, its understanding, carry out a visual inspection of the sample taken on the diagnostic test and record it. Veterinarians within the meaning of the applicable legislation of Law No 578/2004 Z. z. § 27 are not health workers and are thus not qualified to perform the collection of biological material to a person from the nasopharyngeal tract to detect respiratory viral disease.