Dental colleges get reprieve: PMDC delays implementation of five-year BDS programme

ISLAMABAD: Under pressure from private medical and dental colleges, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has decided to postpone extending the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programme from four to five years for one year, The News has learned.

Officials confirmed that this decision allows students admitted in the upcoming academic year 2024-25 to complete the programme within the current four-year structure. The five-year extension will now be implemented from the academic session 2025-26.

Every year, approximately 3,500 students enrol in BDS programmes at 60 public and private medical colleges. Over 70pc of these institutions are in the private sector, many of which have strongly opposed extending a five-year programme.

Senior PMDC officials stated, “The decision to extend the BDS programme duration to five years has been postponed for one year. However, from the next academic year onwards, it will be extended to five years in line with recommendations from experts.” The proposal was based on recommendations by a committee of dental experts, who emphasised the need to align Pakistan’s dental education standards with international practices. Private dental colleges, however, expressed reservations, citing inadequate infrastructure and logistical challenges. “Most private dental colleges lack the resources and faculty to extend the programme by an additional year at this stage,” explained a PMDC official, adding that logistical constraints were a key factor behind the council’s decision to delay the implementation.

Talking to The News, dental education experts said the BDS programme in Pakistan is a four-year undergraduate degree programme, which has been in place for decades as well as in some other countries. This shorter duration was historically sufficient to meet the local standards for dental education, focusing on core clinical skills and foundational knowledge. However, advancements in the field and growing complexities in dental care have prompted calls for curriculum revisions, they said adding that globally, the duration of dental programmes varies. In the United States and Canada, dental education typically spans 6-8 years, including pre-dental undergraduate studies followed by a 4-year Doctor of Dental Surgery or Doctor of Dental Medicine degree.

In the United Kingdom, dental programmes are usually five years, focusing on both academic and clinical training while in Australia and New Zealand, the degrees last 5-6 years, including both undergraduate and graduate pathways. Educationists said that in India, too, the BDS programme is spread over five years, including a one-year internship. The five-year BDS structure in many countries allows for the inclusion of advanced clinical training, research exposure, and a broader focus on patient care, aligning with evolving global standards in dentistry.

“PMDC’s decision to extend the BDS programme to five years is intended to align Pakistan’s dental education with global benchmarks, incorporate more advanced training in clinical dentistry, public health, and research and prepare graduates to meet international employment standards and address the growing complexity of dental diseases”, an expert informed.