The Government of India has established the National Dental Commission (NDC), replacing the Dental Council of India (DCI), in a significant overhaul of the country’s dental education and regulatory system. The new framework came into effect on March 19, 2026, following an official notification issued on the same date.
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the reform marks a major transition towards a system that is more transparent, accountable, and quality-focused. The move replaces the earlier elected regulatory structure with a modern framework designed to strengthen governance and improve standards in dental education and healthcare delivery.
The government stated that the NDC will introduce long-awaited reforms aimed at enhancing the quality of dental education and expanding access to affordable oral healthcare services across the country. The commission will also be responsible for framing regulations, monitoring institutions, encouraging research, and setting fee guidelines for private dental colleges, while ensuring adherence to ethical standards.
The NDC will function as an autonomous statutory body, similar to the National Medical Commission, operating under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. To streamline its operations, three independent boards have been constituted under the commission. These include the Undergraduate and Postgraduate Dental Education Board, which will oversee academic programmes and curriculum; the Dental Assessment and Rating Board, responsible for accreditation and institutional evaluation; and the Ethics and Dental Registration Board, which will regulate professional conduct and maintain the registration of dental practitioners.
The leadership of the commission includes Dr Sanjay Tewari as the first Chairperson and Arindam Modak as Secretary. The three boards will be headed by Dr Chandrashekhar Janakiram, Nanda Kishore Sahoo, and Tapas Kumar Bandyopadhyay, respectively. Each board will include both full-time and part-time members to support its functions.
With the implementation of the new law, the Dentists Act, 1948, has been repealed, and the Dental Council of India has been formally dissolved. The government emphasised that the reform is aimed at creating a more efficient, transparent, and accountable system that will ultimately improve dental education standards and ensure better access to quality oral healthcare services nationwide.