LOK SABHA PASSES NATIONAL DENTAL COMMISSION BILL

One of the significant provisions in the bill is the regulation of fees for 50 percent of seats in private dental colleges

KEY FEATURES

• The proposed bill aims to replace the existing Dental Council of India with a new body called the National Dental Commission.
• The primary objectives of the commission include formulating policies and maintaining high-quality standards for dental education and the dental profession in the country.
• This bill also mandates the disclosure of assets by the commission's chairman and members. All commission members will have to declare their assets, liabilities, professional, and commercial engagements upon assuming office and at the end of their term.
• One of the significant provisions in the bill is the regulation of fees for 50 percent of seats in private dental colleges to ensure more accessible and affordable dental education.
• As part of the bill, it is required that each state government establishes a State Dental Council within one year of the Act's commencement.
• The National Dental Commission will be headquartered in New Delhi and will be composed of a chairperson, eight ex-officio members, and 24 part-time members.
• The ex-officio members will include representatives from National Medical Commission (NMC), the health ministry, and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.
• The part-time members will comprise 19 individuals appointed on a rotational basis from state and Union territory nominees for two years, along with five members selected for four years. Among the five members, two will be dental faculty from central, state, or autonomous government institutes, while the other three will possess specialized knowledge in areas like management, law, medical ethics, health research, consumer or patient rights advocacy, science and technology, and economics.
• The bill outlines the creation of three autonomous boards under the National Dental Commission's purview - Undergraduate and Postgraduate Dental Education Board, Dental Assessment and Rating Board and Ethics and Dental Registration Board
• The bill calls for the establishment of a Dental Advisory Council by the central government. The council's primary function will be to advise the National Dental Commission and serve as a platform for states and Union territories to express their views on dental education and examination.
• Until the National Exit Test (Dental) becomes operational, postgraduate MDS courses' admissions will also be based on NEET-MDS. The commission will conduct common counseling for All India seats, while the state governments' designated authority will manage counseling for state-level seats. The National Exit Test (Dental) will serve as the basis for granting licenses to practice dentistry and for enrollment in the state or national register.
• Indian students holding foreign dental qualifications will also need to clear the National Exit Test (Dental) to obtain a license to practice dentistry in the country.