Nearly about two half years of the restructuring of the Medical Council of India (MCI) into National Medical Commission (NMC), the centre has now decided to restructure the Dental Commission of India (DCI) into National Dental Commission (NDC). The winter session of the parliament 2022 is set to witness the bill that will be tabled by the centre. The bill seeks to set up a council and repeal the Dentists Act 1948. It envisages to offer quality and affordable dental education, ensure availability of adequate and high-quality dental professionals in the country. Promoting national health goals that encourage dental professionals to adopt latest dental research in their work and to contribute to the development of the industry. The bill if imposed will enforce high ethical standards in all aspects of dental services that is flexible to adapt to changing needs and has an effective grievance redressal mechanism.
The role of NDC would be similar to that of DCI said, Dr Mahesh Verma, vice-chancellor Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi.
“There are representations of the state government, state universities and as state councils by rotation. This is to ensure that at any given point of time, there is a small body which can work cohesively rather than a huge one. Currently, in the Dental Council of India, every state has a state nominee and so does state councils and universities. These nominees apart, there is also a nominee of the central governor,” Verma said.
The Bill was first prepared and released for suggestions of the public and stakeholders in January 2 years ago.
According to top doctors, the NDC is a ‘great move’ by the Centre which would improve education standard and create better career options for the students. The bill according to sources has been pending for long to be presented in the par liament. Dentistry as a profession is considered a perfect storm for studentin the present days. With heavy investments and bare minimum returns, make shift dentists are exploring the varsities.
If the Bill is passed, the centre shall constitute a NDC to exercise the powers conferred upon and to perform the functions assigned. The commission a body consisting of 22 part time members and 7 ex-officio members will be headed by a chairperson. The chairperson shall be a dentist of inate administrative skills and integrity possessing a post-graduate degree in any discipline of dentistry from any university and having experience of not less than twenty years in the field of dentistry, out of which at least ten years shall be as a leader in the area of dental education.
The National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test for the admission to the graduate and Post graduate dental education was introduced under this bill in 2016. The Dentist Act which was first constituted in 1948 was last revised in 1987 following which the Dental profession in India had the The Dentist Amendment Bill 2016 that was passed by the Rajya Sabha.
