ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has reconstituted its Committee on BDS Program and Curriculum to review the existing Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programme as well as the proposed 4+1 model, bringing the structure of undergraduate dental education and clinical training into a formal review process.
According to a PMDC notification, issued pursuant to a decision of the Council on August 28, 2026, the committee has been tasked with reviewing the existing BDS programme and the 4+1 model, including the integration of House Job and clinical training into the BDS pathway.
The committee will also review the BDS curriculum in light of contemporary dental education and clinical practice, examine accreditation standards and propose amendments aligned with international best practices while addressing Pakistan’s healthcare needs.
The development comes days after PMDC formally withdrew/deferred its July 8, 2026 notification on the five-year BDS framework while reopening the wider programme for comprehensive review.
As reported by Dental News Pakistan on September 18, PMDC’s September 17 communication said the Council was reviewing the academic structure, curriculum, structured House Job/Internship and overall implementation framework of the BDS programme.
The committee notification now provides greater detail on how that review is being taken forward, with the existing BDS structure and 4+1 model specifically identified for examination.
PMDC committee to examine existing and 4+1 BDS models
The central provision of the notification is the direction to the committee to review “the existing as well as 4+1 model for the BDS programme”, with House Job and clinical training integrated into the BDS pathway.
The 4+1 model has been advocated by the Pakistan Dental Association (PDA) as an alternative to extending the academic BDS programme to five years.
Under the PDA proposal, students would complete four formal academic years of BDS, followed by a structured and supervised one-year House Job/Internship. The model therefore places the additional year in supervised clinical training rather than adding a fifth academic year to the BDS degree.
The distinction has become central to the wider BDS debate because PMDC’s July 8 framework had moved toward a 5+1 pathway — five academic years of BDS followed by one year of structured House Job/Internship.
House Job and clinical training included in review
PMDC’s latest notification indicates that the committee’s work will extend beyond simply deciding how many academic years the BDS degree should contain.
The committee has specifically been directed to review the integration of House Job and clinical training into the BDS pathway.
That puts the organisation and purpose of supervised clinical training directly within the committee’s mandate.
The issue has been a recurring part of the BDS policy debate, with different models considered over the past two years.
The PDA has argued that the existing academic years should be strengthened through curriculum, clinical competencies, practical training, assessment and professional preparedness, while the House Job should provide a structured transition from undergraduate dental education to independent professional practice.
10-member committee brings together dental education, professional leadership
The reconstituted committee comprises 10 members drawn from PMDC, dental education, accreditation, military dental services and dental institutions.
• Prof. Dr. Tehmina Asad, Member of the PMDC Council, has been appointed Chairperson.
The committee members are:
• Prof. Dr. Ghulam Rasul, Chairman, Accreditation Committee (Dental) of the NM&DAB
• Maj. Gen. Nadeem Rana, Commandant, AFID
• Brig. Dr. Amiad Ali, Director Dental Services, Army Dental Core (GHQ)
• Prof. Dr. Nabeela Riaz, Principal, de’Montmorency College of Dentistry, Lahore
• Prof. Dr. Bilal Ahmed, Dean, School of Dentistry, ISZaBMUJ, Islamabad
• Prof. Dr. Muhammad Khalil Khan, Dean, Sindh Institute of Oral Health Sciences, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi
• Prof. Dr. Muslim Khan, Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Khyber College of Dentistry, Peshawar
• Prof. Dr. Anwar Ali, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi
• Dr. Khurshid Naseem, Islamabad Medical & Dental College, Islamabad, and President, Pakistan Dental Association.
The inclusion of Dr. Khurshid Naseem, President of the Pakistan Dental Association, gives the professional body’s proposed 4+1 model direct representation within the committee reviewing the programme framework.
Curriculum review adds another major dimension
The committee’s mandate also extends to the BDS curriculum, which PMDC has directed it to review in light of contemporary dental education and clinical practice.
This means the review will examine not only the duration and structure of BDS but also the educational content and its relationship with current clinical practice.
The committee has separately been tasked with reviewing accreditation standards and proposing amendments aligned with international best practices while addressing Pakistan’s healthcare needs.
The eventual recommendations could therefore have implications for dental colleges and universities beyond the question of whether BDS remains four academic years or moves to a longer academic structure.
What happens next in Pakistan's BDS debate?
The committee has been directed to submit its findings and recommendations to the PMDC Council for consideration and approval, with the notification further stating that its recommendations will be submitted to the Council for consideration and decision.
The notification does not set out a deadline for submission of the recommendations or announce the final BDS structure.
For dental students, prospective BDS candidates, dental colleges, universities and faculty, the eventual Council decision could determine not only the number of academic years but also how clinical education and supervised professional training are incorporated into the pathway.
The BDS debate therefore remains open, but its next stage is now clearly defined: a PMDC committee will examine the existing and 4+1 models, review the curriculum and accreditation framework, and submit its recommendations to the Council before a final decision is taken.
Stay connected with Dental News Pakistan
CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW the official Dental News Pakistan WhatsApp Channel for the latest PMDC decisions, BDS policy developments, dental education news, student updates, professional developments and regulatory changes affecting Pakistan’s dental community.