Explaned: What Is National Dental Commission Bill And How It Will Elevate Dental Education, Healthcare Standards In India

The National Dental Commission Bill seeks to repeal the Dentists Act, 1948, and proposes to set up the National Dental Commission (NMC) to regulate dental education and the profession. It also aims at making dental education affordable and quality oral healthcare accessible.

New Delhi: In a significant step towards enhancing healthcare quality and aligning dental education with global standards, the Parliament has passed the National Dental Commission Bill, 2023 on Tuesday, August 8. The National Dental Commission Bill seeks to repeal the Dentists Act, 1948, and proposes to set up the National Dental Commission (NMC) to regulate dental education and the profession. It also aims at making dental education affordable and quality oral healthcare accessible. According to the Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, this bill provides for an online and live national register of licensed dentists and the establishment of an advisory council with representation from all states and union territories.

National Dental Commission: Key features

1. Constitution of National Dental Commission and State Dental Councils: The Act establishes the National Dental Commission and mandates the formation of State Dental Councils or Joint Dental Councils. This structure aims to decentralize authority and enhance effective regulation.
2. Three Autonomous Boards: The Act will empower three distinct Autonomous Boards: the Under-Graduate and Post-Graduate Dental Education Board, the Dental Assessment and Rating Board (DARB), and the Ethics and Dental Registration Board (EDRB).
3. Fixed Tenure and Professional Development: The Act will introduce a fixed tenure for the Chairperson, Members, and Secretary of the Commission, with no possibility of reappointment.
4. Industry Collaboration and Technological Innovation: Recognizing the importance of collaboration and research, the Act will encourage partnerships with industry and institutions to promote advancements in dental research.
5. Online National Register and Dental Advisory Council: The Act will provide for maintaining an online and live National Register of licensed dentists and dental auxiliaries. Furthermore, it establishes a Dental Advisory Council with representation from all States/Union Territories to ensure comprehensive insights and guidance.
6. Merit-Based Selection Process: Under the Act, the NDC will be led by a ‘selected’ Regulator. This entails the appointment of the NDC Chairman and Members through a merit-based selection process conducted by a Search–cum-Committee chaired by the Cabinet Secretary.
7. Collaborative Approaches: The Act will facilitate joint sittings with relevant statutory bodies, including the National Medical Commission, Pharmacy Council of India, Indian Nursing Council, National Commission for Indian System of Medicine, National Commission for Homeopathy, and National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions.
8. Fee Regulation and Constitutions: The Act will empower the Commission to frame guidelines for fee determination for fifty percent of seats in private dental colleges and deemed Universities. Additionally, within a year of the Act’s commencement, all State governments will establish State Dental Councils or Joint Dental Councils.

How will National Dental Commission work?

The bill proposes that the new National Dental Commission will work “to regulate the practice of dentistry in the nation, to offer high-quality, reasonably priced dental education, and to increase access to high-quality oral healthcare”.

The commission will have a chairperson, eight ex-official members, and 24 part-time members, all selected by the Union government. The eight ex-official members will include representatives from the National Medical Commission (NMC), Union health ministry, and the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.

Nineteen of the 24 part-time members will serve a two-year term, with the posts rotating among nominees from the states and Union territories.

Apart from controlling fees for half the seats in private dental colleges, the commission will establish boards to ensure the enforcement of quality standards in dental education. The Undergraduate and Postgraduate Dental Education Boards will establish criteria and standards for institutions teaching dentistry.

On the other hand, the Dental Assessment and Grading Board will oversee the evaluation and grading of such colleges. It will also release evaluation results and rankings and have the authority to make decisions on degree de-recognition and withdrawal of recognition of colleges.

Additionally, the bill proposes the establishment of a Dental Advisory Council by the Union government. This council will provide advice to the commission and serve as a forum for the states and Union territories to express their opinions.

The proposed council will also provide recommendations to the commission on how to “improve equitable access to dental education and uniform system of examination”.