India Revamps Dental Education with New National Dental Commission

The Indian government has replaced the Dental Council of India with the National Dental Commission (NDC) to improve dental education and adhere to global standards. The NDC introduces a transparent framework with three boards focusing on education, assessment, and ethics, effective from March 19, 2026.

In a transformative move, the Government of India has disbanded the Dental Council of India, replacing it with the newly formed National Dental Commission (NDC). This significant overhaul aims to elevate the standards of dental education by aligning them with international benchmarks. Notifications confirming this development were issued on March 19, 2026, marking the immediate inception of the NDC's regulatory framework.

The NDC embodies a shift towards a transparent, accountable, and quality-focused regulatory structure, departing from the previous elected architecture. The reform seeks to infuse long-needed regulatory changes in dental education, ensuring broader access to affordable oral healthcare across the nation. Supporting the NDC are three autonomous boards: the Undergraduate and Postgraduate Dental Education Board, the Dental Assessment and Rating Board, and the Ethics and Dental Registration Board, each chartered to manage specific domains from education oversight to professional registration.

Key appointments include Dr. Sanjay Tewari as Chairperson of the NDC and Dr. Chandrashekhar Janakiram leading the Undergraduate and Postgraduate Dental Education Board. Lt Gen (Retd) Nanda Kishore Sahoo helms the Dental Assessment and Rating Board, with Lt Gen (Retd) Tapas Kumar Bandyopadhyay appointed to the Ethics and Dental Registration Board. Arindam Modak serves as Secretary to the NDC Secretariat. Notably, the Dentists Act of 1948 is repealed, dissolving the Dental Council of India as of the NDC's activation date.

(With inputs from agencies.)