Section 21: Interpretation, etc.

(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires-
"alternative medicine" means naturopathy, acupuncture and osteopathy;
[1992 No. 78.]
"approved" means for the time being approved under section 9 of this Act;
"approved medical or dental qualification" means a qualification which is approved in respect of the medical or dental profession;
"certificate of experience" means a certificate granted in pursuance of section 11 of this Act;
"chairman" means the chairman of the Council appointed under section 2 (1) of this Act;
"Council" means the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria established pursuant to section 1 (1) of this Act;
"dentistry" in relation to its practice includes the giving of any advice or treatment or the performance of any operation necessary for the cure or preservation of teeth unusually given by or performed by a dental surgeon and includes all operations necessary or incidental to the preparation and fitting of dentures, artificial teeth or other dental appliances or other maxillo-facial operation so however that-
(a) in case of emergency of which the medical practitioner shall be the sole judge, nothing shall preclude a medical practitioner from extracting teeth; and
(b) a qualified dental therapist or nurse acting under the supervision of a registered dental surgeon may scale and polish teeth, extract and scale, polish and restore teeth respectively, advise on dental care and carry out post operative care on maxillo-facial patients;
"Disciplinary Tribunal" has the meaning assigned to it by section 15 of this Act;
"Gazette" means the Gazette of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;
"Minister" means the Minister charged with responsibility for matters relating to health;
"Panel" has the meaning assigned to it by section 15 of this Act;
"prescribed" means prescribed by Regulations;
"register" means a register maintained under this Act and "registered" shall be construed accordingly;
"Registrar" means the Registrar appointed in pursuance of section 6 of this Act; and
"regulations" means regulations made by the Council.
(2) For the purposes of this Act-
(a) a person is fully registered as a medical practitioner or dental surgeon if his name is for the time being entered in the part of the register of medical practitioners or dental surgeons maintained in respect of fully registered medical practitioners or dental surgeons;
(b) a person is provisionally registered as a medical or dental practitioner if his name is for the time being entered in the part of the register maintained in respect of provisionally registered medical or dental practitioners; and
(c) a person has limited registration as a medical practitioner or dental surgeon if his name is for the time being entered in the part of the register maintained in respect of medical practitioners or dental surgeons with limited registration and his registration has not ceased under section 13 of this Act.
(3)
Any approval, consent, direction, notice, observation, report, representation or request authorised or required to be given or made by or under this Act shall be in writing and may, without prejudice to any other method of service but subject to the provisions of rules made under the Second Schedule of this Act, be served by post.
[Second Schedule.]