National Dental Commission – Toward a Collaborative and Outcome-driven Approach

On March 19, 2026, in a landmark regulatory reform, the Dental Council of India (DCI) was replaced by the National Dental Commission (NDC).[1] This change, which is enacted under the NDC Act, 2023, aims to improve the quality of dental education comparable to internationally recognized standards.[2] The transition from the elected DCI to a centrally appointed, expert-led NDC aims to establish a regulatory framework that enhances transparency, accountability, and the quality of outcomes.[1] Structure Three autonomous boards have been constituted for its smooth functioning to regulate education, institutional assessment, and professional ethics. Undergraduate and Postgraduate Dental Education Board – to provide a strategic and regulatory overview of dental education for ensuring academic excellence. Dental Assessment and Rating Board – To establish standards for accreditation and institutional assessment. Ethics and Dental Registration Board – To regulate ethical and professional conduct and administer the registration and licensing of dental practitioners.[1] Background The NDC Act, 2023, replaced the age-old Dentist Act of 1948.[3] It is presented in detail in the Extraordinary Gazette of India published on August 11, 2023. It is divided 11 eleven chapters, each addressing a specific aspect of dental education, regulation, and practice in India. Like, Chapter 1 contains key dental terms including dentists, dental auxiliaries, hygienists, mechanics, and dental institutions. Chapter 2 establishes the composition, powers, and functions of the NDC and Dental Council. Chapter 3 provides for a Dental Advisory Council with representation from states, University Grants Commission, Indian Council of Medical Research, National Assessment and Accreditation Council, and Army Dental Corps. Chapter 4 mandates the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) as the single national entrance examination for undergraduate dental admissions. Chapter 5 introduces the National Exit Test (NExT) for licensing, foreign graduates, and postgraduate admissions. Chapter 6 creates autonomous boards for dental education, assessment, ethics, and registration under the Commission. Chapter 7 provides for the establishment of State or Joint Dental Councils with prescribed leadership qualifications. Chapter 8 provides for a public National Dental Register containing details and recognized qualifications of all licensed dentists. Chapter 9 lays down provisions for recognition of undergraduate and postgraduate dental qualifications approved by the Education Board. Chapter 10 deals with grants, funding, accounts, and audit of the NDC, and Chapter 11 covers miscellaneous provisions including government directions, institutional obligations, rural dental care promotion, and course completion norms.[4] Functions The NDC will formulate and periodically update regulations and guidelines to ensure uniform and effective implementation of the Act by defining standards, procedures, compliance requirements, and enforcement mechanisms for dental education, practice, and institutional governance. It will implement a standardized system for periodic rating and assessment of dental institutions, evaluating infrastructure, academic processes, clinical training, research, ethics, and patient safety using defined qualitative and quantitative criteria. It will also assess the availability and performance of human resources in dental education and practice and promote capacity building and faculty development. It shall also encourage basic, clinical, and translational dental research in alignment with ethical standards, national oral health priorities, and global scientific advances. Formulate guidelines for a uniform fee structure in private dental institutes. It will periodically update standards for community-based dental care, education, research, and professional ethics, with emphasis on preventive oral health, ethical practice, and alignment with public health priorities.[1] Under the NDC Act, the proposed NExT is designed both as a common licentiate exit examination and as a selection tool for postgraduate dental programs. Current NEET-MDS predominantly assesses theoretical knowledge based on objective-type questions with limited evaluation of clinical and practical competence. In addition, the absence of a standardized benchmark for assessing clinical proficiency and ethical competence poses challenges for dental practitioners seeking professional credibility in private practice. In this regard, NExT offers a viable solution to existing limitations.[5] However, its success depends on careful implementation, which is challenging due to institutional disparities, infrastructure constraints, stakeholder resistance, and logistical complexity. Teachers need to shift to new evaluation methods, i.e., competency-based assessment and objective evaluation systems. Advancements in digital technologies have initiated a major shift in dental education. Innovations such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence are redefining traditional teaching approaches and clinical skill development.[6] The establishment of autonomous boards under the NDC Act facilitates curricular flexibility, thereby enabling the integration of advanced educational tools into dental training and assessment methodologies. Yet, this flexibility is a concern in India, with huge diversity in the education system, with wide variations in colleges such as government vs. private and urban vs. rural. Rural areas need more focus on basic preventive and community dental care rather than advanced clinics or using high-end equipment. NDC seeks to improve transparency and uniform standards in light of the rapid expansion of private dental institutions with revenue-driven models of operation. With new guidelines, there will be regulation of fees structure taking into consideration actual costs related to infrastructure, faculty salaries, and academic facilities, while ensuring that students are protected from unreasonable or unfair fee practices.[7] Nevertheless, it raises concerns about the erosion of institutional autonomy. Dental education is constrained by inadequate integration of basic and clinical sciences, insufficient clinical exposure for independent practice, and suboptimal training in the management of geriatric, special-needs pediatric, and medically compromised patients, along with limited engagement in public health settings.[8] The establishment of the Undergraduate and Postgraduate Dental Education Board under NDC is expected to enhance curricular integration, strengthen clinical training, and address existing gaps in dental education. Still, the shift from elected members to government-appointed members in NDC may lead to loss of peer-driven governance and raise the risk of bias or political influence. A centralized governance structure tends to exhibit reduced responsiveness to region-specific needs, as decision-making is concentrated at higher levels and may lack sensitivity to local contexts. Consequently, a uniform or “one-size-fits-all” policy framework can lead to suboptimal outcomes, as it may not adequately account for variations in institutional capacity, regional health demands, and socio-economic conditions. At the same time, advancement of professional standards through high-quality dental education, implementation of evidence-based practice guidelines, and establishment of uniform dental registration frameworks will lead to advanced dental health care in India. In light of the above, the success of the NDC will ultimately depend not on its regulatory framework alone, but on its ability to translate policy into measurable improvements in clinical competence, equity, and patient-centered care. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.