Can Dentists Perform Aesthetic Procedures? Here's What NMC, DCI Say
Can Dentists Perform Aesthetic Surgeries?
New Delhi: Amid the legal battle between the dentists and dermatologists regarding the eligibility of dentists to perform aesthetic surgeries, the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the Dental Council of India (DCI) have specified their stand on the matter.
Dr Aman Kaushik, a RTI activist had sought clarity on this matter from the Apex Medical Commission i.e. NMC. However, the Commission chose to remain silent on the matter and transferred the query to the Dental Council of India.
Responding to the RTI application, DCI stood by its earlier "Guidelines for practice of Aesthetic and Hair transplant procedures for Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons", issued on 06.12.2022.
DCI had clarified through these guidelines that aesthetic procedures "can be performed by Oral & Maxilofacial surgeons after adequate training as per the curriculum."
Dr Kaushik told Medical Dialogues, "I have recieved response from Dental Council of India yesterday. But NMC remained silent on this issue,they transferred my RTI to dental council of india on 4th dec without providing me specific reasons."
RTI Application:
Filing the RTI application before NMC on 26.11.2024, Dr. Kaushik sought to know "Are dentists allowed to perform aesthetic procedures and hair transplant surgeries?"
Consequently, the application was transferred to DCI, which said on 20.12.2024 that the RTI application in question required interpretation or clarification of statutes which doesn't come under the definition of information u/s 2(f) of the RTI Act, 2005.
However, DCI referred to a copy of its previous circular dated 06.12.2022 adding that the circular was "self-explanatory" in the matter.
What Does DCI Circular dated 06.12.2022 say?
Issuing the guidelines for the practice of Aesthetic & Hair Transplant procedures for Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons, DCI back in 2022 mentioned that these procedures can be undertaken by Oral & Maxillofacial surgeons registered with any State Dental Council in India.
DCI had mentioned that Aesthetic Procedures "can be performed by Oral & Maxillofacial surgeons after adequate training as per the curriculum". Further, the guidelines specified that "Oral & Maxillofacial surgeon should have an aesthetic back up with requisite resuscitate equipment and drugs. Preoperative clearances from a medical specialist as required must be obtained. There should be availability of adequate and well-equipped post-operative recovery room for patient monitoring and adequate record keeping."
Plea in Bombay High Court:
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that these DCI guidelines were challenged by a group of dermatologists under the Dynamic Dermatologist and Hair Transplant Association, who claimed that Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons are not 'qualified' to perform Aesthetic and Hair Transplant Surgery.
Filing a PIL before the Bombay High Court, the association had prayed for a direction from the court to the concerned authorities asking them to withdraw the December 6, 2022 guidelines. Further, the association had also sought an action against the dental practitioners, who are advertising to perform hair transplant procedures.
Apart from this, the plea also sought a ban on such advertisements by dental practitioners and also urged the Court to set up a committee to monitor the fact that dental practitioners do not perform such surgeries.
Previously, Chief Justice Upadhyaya had highlighted that the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI) had also approved these guidelines. The Chief Justice had observed, "The Medical Council of India is a statutory body comprising of professionals. If in their view an oral and maxillofacial surgeon is competent to do hair transplant then what's the issue? They are experts. We cannot comment on this. They know better than us."
Intervention Application:
Recently, the Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons of India, which advocates for the professional rights of Oral and Maxillofacial surgeons, has filed an intervention application before the High Court bench.
As per AOMSI, the syllabus and curriculum of the 'Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons', encompasses surgeries which are far more strenuous, difficult, compound, complicated, intricate, laborious that "when compared to the 'Hair Transplant' which is merely an superficial one which has got to do everything only and only with scalp".
They claimed that beyond the scalp, there is no other part of the body with which the Hair Transplant surgery has to deal with. "Bare perusal of the syllabus/ curriculum of the ‘Oral and Maxillofacial surgeons’ indicate that these ‘Oral and Maxillofacial surgeons’ perform surgery, operations, surgical procedures which are far more tedious and complicated as in comparison to that of the process which is involved in any Hair Transplant surgery. That the Hair Transplant surgeon only and only deals with the scalp of the body and that it’s comparatively lesser and extremely easier for Maxillofacial surgeons’," submitted the association.
Reliance was also placed on MDS course regulation notification dated 5th November 2017, which states that the speciality of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery deals with the diagnosis and management of the diseases stomatognathic system, jaw bones, cranio-maxillofacial region, salivary glands and temporomandibular joints etc. "This itself states and supports the extent of curriculum and training that an Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon has to go through," submitted the Association.
Also Read: Can Dentists Perform Hair Transplant Surgeries? Now Oral Maxillofacial Surgeons move HC
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