ISLAMABAD: In a strongly worded warning that could have major implications for dental healthcare in Pakistan, the Pakistan Dental Association (PDA) has raised alarm over what it calls a dangerous and illegal trend of dental technologists directly treating patients.
In an urgent statement addressed to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), the association cautioned that allowing non-clinicians to perform intra-oral procedures poses serious risks to patient safety and violates established healthcare standards.
“A dental laboratory is not a dental clinic”
According to the PDA, dental technologists are laboratory professionals, trained to fabricate dental prostheses such as dentures and crowns, but not qualified to diagnose, treat, or perform clinical procedures on patients. Their role is supportive and work under the prescription or instructions of a licensed dentist.
The association stressed that technologists:
• Work only in laboratory settings
• Fabricate and repair prosthetic dental appliances
• Operate under prescriptions or instructions from licensed dentists
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However, they do not possess the clinical training required to diagnose oral diseases, manage patients, or address potential surgical and medical complications.
Serious public health concerns raised
The PDA warned that when unqualified individuals attempt clinical dental procedures, patients may face:
- Improper diagnosis
- Surgical or medical complications
- Unsafe treatment practices
- Long-term oral health damage
The association said such practices undermine professional standards and put public health at risk.
PDA calls for immediate regulatory action
The association has urged the PMDC to take strict regulatory measures and issue a clear national directive reaffirming that only licensed dentists are authorized to perform clinical dental procedures.
The PDA said decisive action is necessary to:
• Protect patients
• Prevent illegal practice
• Maintain professional healthcare standards in dentistry.
Message to patients
The PDA also indirectly warned patients to ensure they are treated by licensed dentists when undergoing any dental procedure.
Receiving treatment from unqualified practitioners, the association said, could lead to serious health consequences.
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