Kathmandu, June 19

A complaint has been filed at the Nepal Medical Council recently, alleging that non-medical practitioners are working as specialists in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopaedics department at Patan Academy of Health Sciences.

Nepal Dental Association has filed the case at NMC notifying the Ministry of Health and Population, Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, Central Investigation Bureau, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, and Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedic Association of Nepal.

“We have often noticed non-medical practitioners providing services to the patients in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopaedics department. We have informed the hospital about it. We decided to file a case as the hospital turned a deaf ear to our notifications,” said the President of Nepal Dental Association Pravindra Adhikari.

It is mandatory to have a MDS qualification to work as a specialist in the field.

“There aren’t any non-medical practitioners in the department working as specialists. Some of the assistants could have helped the specialists,” said Bishnu Sharma, director at PAHS.

The Ethical Committee of the Nepal Medical Council will be looking into the case. “If the allegation is found to be true, action will be taken against the persons involved and the organisation,” said one of the NMC members.