Date:28/11/2002 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2002/11/28/stories/2002112805790400.htm

Southern States - Kerala

Dentists wary of Act provisions

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI Nov. 27. A group of dentists from Kerala are here these days to try and get Members of Parliament to have a hard look at the various provisions of the Dentists Act, which, according to them, go against the very spirit of the legislation, and also at the way the Dental Council of India functions.

Addressing a press conference today, the group led by the president of the Central Kerala branch of the Indian Dental Association, C. Nandakumar, said there was an urgent need for a total overhaul of the Act on several counts if the profession of dentistry had to flourish in the country. In particular, they pointed out that the Act had provisions under which persons without proper qualification could not only get registered and practice as dentists, but also occupy positions of authority in the council. Initially, the provision was made to accommodate dentists who had been practising without proper qualification before the Act came into being on the principles of right to livelihood, but there is no need for the system to continue now.

They pointed to the provision in the Act under which members of the council were entitled to hold office for five years or until their successor was elected, whichever was longer. In other words, a member could stay on for ever by not holding elections to get a successor. ``It is not just a theoretical possibility, but has happened in reality. There are several cases of members retaining their office for more than five years. A dentist from Mumbai, for instance, has remained a member since 1971, while another from Delhi has been a member since 1982.''

The group emphasised the need for a drastic change in the manner in which the council appointed inspectors for purposes such as grant of approval for new colleges to provide for transparency. The reports of inspectors should be made public and not kept as confidential documents, they said.

Dr. Nandakumar said that apart from meeting the MPs, the group was also trying to get an appointment in the Prime Minister's Office to present a memorandum. ``Among other things, we are seeking a CBI probe into the various administrative irregularities in the council,'' he added.