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Health
NDC Sets Clear Distinction Between General and Specialist Dental Practices
✍️ TOI India
🗓 05 Nov 2026, 09:48 AM
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The National Dental Council has issued guidelines separating general dental practice from specialist services, outlining distinct scopes and responsibilities.
The National Dental Council (NDC) has released new guidelines that clearly delineate the roles of general dentists and specialists.
According to the document, general practitioners are restricted to routine procedures such as fillings, extractions, and basic oral hygiene care, while specialists—orthodontists, periodontists, and oral surgeons—are authorized to perform advanced treatments beyond the scope of general practice.
The council emphasized that the separation aims to protect patients from over‑charging and to ensure that complex dental issues receive expert care.
The guidelines will take effect from the next fiscal year, and dental colleges are urged to update curricula to reflect the new distinctions.
According to the document, general practitioners are restricted to routine procedures such as fillings, extractions, and basic oral hygiene care, while specialists—orthodontists, periodontists, and oral surgeons—are authorized to perform advanced treatments beyond the scope of general practice.
The council emphasized that the separation aims to protect patients from over‑charging and to ensure that complex dental issues receive expert care.
The guidelines will take effect from the next fiscal year, and dental colleges are urged to update curricula to reflect the new distinctions.