The Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was introduced in Lok Sabha by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on 27 June 2019. The Bill amends the Dentists Act, 1948.
The provision of the bill
- The Act regulates the profession of dentistry and constitutes:
- the Dental Council of India,
- State Dental Councils, and Joint State Dental Councils
- A register of dentists is maintained under the Act in two parts, Part A and Part B. Persons holding recognized dental qualifications are registered in Part A and persons not holding such qualifications are registered in Part B. The persons in Part B are Indian citizens who have been practicing as dentists for at least five years before a registration date notified by the state government.
- Composition of the dental councils:
Under the Act, State Dental Councils, the composition of Dental Council of India, and Joint State Dental Councils include representation from dentists registered in Part B. The Bill seeks to eliminate the mandatory requirement of the representation of dentists registered in Part B in these Councils.
