DMA opposes Niti Aayog's notice of allowing modern medicine practice to BDS

New Delhi: The Delhi Medical Association (DMA) has opposed the recently issued meeting notice by the Niti Ayog that talks about allowing dentists to practice modern medicine by doing a bridge course.

The doctors said that government should provide more job opportunities to the dentists in dental care rather than allowing them to practice modern medicine.

The doctors were speaking to the media at the DMA office in Delhi over the a recent notice by the Health and Family Welfare Division of Niti Aayog that talks of exploring the option of allowing dentists to practice family medicine/mainstream medicine following a bridge course to tackle the shortage of doctors across the country.

The meeting notice was issued by Jyoti Khattar, Senior Research Officer, Health of Health and Family Welfare Division of Niti Aayog, on April 18, 2019.

Dr Girish Tyagi, President, DMA said: "We oppose government's any attempt that allows dentists to practice medicine. Government is not creating enough job opportunities for doctors. Doctors are recruited on contract basis and they are exploited. If government comes up with any such notice or ordinance, we will strongly oppose it."

Dr Tyagi added that every allied profession to medicine has a unique identity and serves a specific purpose.

"Dentists, nurses, optometrists and pharmacists have a role and should contribute their services in the respective field. To baptize them as mid-level medical practitioners through a six month bridge course is being indifferent to the need for patient safety and patient care," explained Dr Tyagi.

The DMA will also urge local medical associations of other states to oppose the government's proposed move.