No L 233/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 24,.8.78 COUNCIL DIRECTIVE of 25 July 1978 concerning the coordination of provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in respect of the activities of dental practitioners (78/687/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Articles 49, 57, 66 and 235 thereof, : Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, [] Having regard to the opinion of the European Parlia- ment (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (2), Whereas, with a view to achieving the mutual recogni- tion of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of the formal qualifications in dentistry, laid down by Council Directive 78/686/EEC of 25 July 1978 concerning the mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of the formal qualifications of practitioners of dentistry, including measures to facilitate the effective ‘exercise of the right of establishment and freedom to provide services (3), the comparable nature of training courses in the Member States enables coordination in this field to be confined to the requirement that minimum standards be observed, which then leaves the Member States freedom of organization as regards teaching; Whereas, with a view to mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qual- ifications of a practitioner of specialized dentistry and in order to put all members of the profession who are nationals of the Member States on an equal footing within the Community, some coordination of the re- quirements for training as a practitioner of specialized dentistry is necessary; whereas certain minimum criteria should be laid down for this purpose concerning the right to take up specialized training, the minimum train- ing period, the method by which such training is given and the place where it is to be carried out, as well as the supervision to which it should be subject; whereas these criteria only concern the specializations common to several Member States; (1) OJ No C 101, 4. 8. 1970, p. 19. (3) OJ No C 36, 28. 3. 1970, p. 19. (®) See page 1 of this Official Journal. Whereas it is necessary for reasons of public health to move within the Community towards a common defi- nition of the field of activity of the professional persons concerned; whereas this Directive does not at this stage enable complete coordination to be achieved as regards the field of activity of dental practitioners in the various Member States; Whereas Member States will ensure that, as from the implementation of this Directive, the training of dental practitioners will provide them with the skills necessary for carrying out all activities involving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of anomalies and diseases of the teeth, mouth, jaws and associated tissues; Whereas coordination of the conditions for the pursuit of these activities, as provided for under this Directive, does not exclude any subsequent coordination; Whereas the coordination envisaged by this Directive covers the professional training of dental practitioners; whereas, as far as training is concerned, most Member States do not at.present distinguish between dental prac- tioners who pursue their activities as employed persons and those who are self-employed; whereas for this reason and in order to encourage as far as possible the free movement of professional persons within the Community, it appears necessary to extend the appli- cation of this Directive to dental practitioners pursuing their activities as employed persons; Whereas, at the time of notification of this Directive, dentistry is practised in Italy solely by doctors, whether or not specializing in odontostomatology; whereas, under this Directive, Italy is obliged to create a new category of professional persons entitled to practise dentistry under a title, other than that of doctor; whereas in creating a new profession Italy must not only introduce a specifi¢ system of training complying with the criteria laid down in this Directive, but also set up structures proper to this new profession, such as a council, for example; whereas, therefore, in view of the extent of the measures to be taken, Italy should be granted an additional period to allow it to comply with this Directive,