New Delhi: In a major reform aimed at overhauling dental education and strengthening healthcare quality, the centre has constituted the National Dental Commission (NDC), replacing the Dental Council of India.
“The notification, issued on March 19, 2026, brings the new regulatory framework into immediate effect, marking a shift towards a more transparent, quality-driven, and accountable system,” a statement from the union health ministry said.
As part of the reform, three autonomous boards have been established under the NDC to streamline governance across education, accreditation, and professional conduct, the statement added.
These include the Undergraduate and Postgraduate Dental Education Board to oversee academic standards, the Dental Assessment and Rating Board to regulate institutional accreditation, and the Ethics and Dental Registration Board to govern professional conduct and registration of practitioners.
The government has appointed Dr. Sanjay Tewari, Chairperson of the NDC, with Dr. Mousumi Goswami as a part-time member. Other key appointments include Dr. Chandrashekhar Janakiram as President of the Education Board and Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Nanda Kishore Sahoo as President of the Assessment and Rating Board.
The NDC will be responsible for framing regulations, assessing and rating dental institutions, promoting research, and establishing standards for dental education, community care, and professional ethics. It will also develop guidelines for fee regulation in private dental colleges.
With the implementation of the new framework, the Dentists Act stands repealed, and the Dental Council of India has been dissolved, a statement from the union health ministry said.
The move is expected to modernise India’s dental regulatory landscape, align it with global standards, and improve access to affordable oral healthcare across the country.
