DENTAL COUNCIL OF INDIA

Constitution and composition

The Dental Council Of India is constituted by an act of parliament ‘The Dentist’s Act 1948’(XVI of 1948) with a view to regulate the dental education, dental profession and dental ethics thereto-which came in to existence in March, 1949.

The council is constituted of six constituencies representing Central Government, State Government, Universities, Dental colleges, Medical Council Of India and the Private Practitioners of Dentistry. The Director-General of Health Services is the Ex-Officio member-both of the Executive Committee and General body. The council elects from themselves the President, Vice President and the members of the Executive Committee. The elected President and Vice President are the Ex Officio Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is the Governing Body of this organization, which deals with all procedural, financial, and day- to- day activities and affairs of the council. The Council is financed mainly by the grants from the Govt. of India, Ministry Of Health and Family Welfare (Dept. of Health) though the other sources of income of the council is the ¼th share of fees realized every year by various State Dental Councils under section 53 of Dentist Act, Inspection fee from the various Dental Institutions for Inspecting under Section 15,of the Dentist Act, 1948 and application fee from the organization to apply for permission to set up new Dental College, opening of higher courses of study and increase of admission capacity in Dental Colleges under section 10A of the Dentist Act,1948 as amended by the Dentists(Amendment) Act,1993.

The Dentists Act 1948 (XVI) came into force with effect from March 1948 and Dental Council of India was accordingly constituted on 12 th April 1949.

The Act provides for Dental Council at the Centre and formation of State Dental Councils in the States and Union Territories. While the Dental Council of India at the Centre is overall body to look after the welfare of Dental profession and for the purpose to maintain proper uniform standards of Dental Education in the Country. State Dental Councils are primarily responsible for registration of dentists, dental hygienists, and dental mechanics, and matters arising thereof as the Act provide compulsory registration of Dentists by the respective State Dental Councils and its provisions provide for checking of the infiltration of unqualified practitioners who gave bad name to profession.

For the purpose of regulating the Standards of Dental Education in the country, the Dentists Act 1948 empowers the Dental Council of India to inspect any dental institution imparting dental courses, such as Post graduate course in Dentistry (MDS), Dental Hygienists Courses, and Dental Mechanics Courses. The powers to appoint visitors for this purpose are vested in Executive Committee of the Council. Secondly, the Dental Council of India is vested with powers to recommend to the Government of India recognition or derecognition of both Indian and foreign dental qualifications obtained by the Indian nationals which might not be specified in any of the three schedules append to the Act. The Act further authorizes the Dental Council of India to enter into negotiations with the authorities concerned abroad for setting of a scheme of reciprocity for the recognition of dental qualifications.

The Dental Council of India, with prior approval of Central Government, is empowered to lay down Regulations and Curriculum for the various Courses in Dentistry such as M.D.S, B.D.S, Dental Hygienists, and Dental Mechanics; and to ensure uniformity and maintain standard of dental education in the country.

The Dental Council of India is further empowered to lay down code of Ethics for Dental Surgeons in their professional behaviour.

The Dental Council of India framed regulations, courses, and syllabi for Under graduate, Postgraduate and auxiliary studies and have from time to time revised or modified the as per the needs of changing society and scientific developments in the conservative and curative dentistry.