Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], June 30: The Telangana Dental Council issues this public notice to clarify the scope of practice for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (OMFS). The Council affirms that Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, trained as per the Dental Council of India (DCI) guidelines, are qualified to perform facial aesthetic procedures and hair transplantation.
This clarification follows amendments introduced by the Dental Council of India to the Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) Course Regulations (3rd Amendment), published in the Gazette of India on August 26, 2019, via Notification No. DE-87(3)-2019.
As per the DCI regulations, OMFS specialists receive extensive training to perform various complex procedures, including:
- Minor oral surgeries
- Management of soft tissue injuries, facial fractures, gunshot wounds, and trauma
- Head and neck cancer surgeries
- Craniofacial surgeries
- Correction of aesthetic defects in the jaws and face
- Skin and bone graft harvesting
- Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) surgery
- Rhinoplasty
- Skull base surgeries (e.g., removal of black fungus infections during the COVID-19 pandemic)
- Tracheostomies
- Laser and cryosurgeries
- Aesthetic facial surgeries: acne scar treatments, facelifts, blepharoplasty, otoplasty, bone recontouring, etc.
In addition, the DCI has issued the following communications affirming the scope of OMFS in aesthetic and hair transplant procedures:
- Letter No. DE-(ARPM-130)2021/3419-m, Dated: December 16, 2021 – Confirmed that OMFS professionals are eligible to perform aesthetic surgical procedures in the cranio-maxillofacial region.
- Letter No. DCI/ARPM/Regulation/Gen/Gen/130/2022-23/2022/416, Dated: November 1, 2022 – Directed Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bengaluru, to include “Hair Transplant” in the MDS-OMFS curriculum.
- Letter No. DE-130(ARPM-General)-2022/97, Dated: December 6, 2022 – Issued guidelines supporting OMFS involvement in aesthetic and hair transplant procedures.
In light of these authoritative documents, the Telangana Dental Council reiterates that Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, trained under DCI-recognized programs and duly registered, are within their professional scope to perform such procedures.
Public Advisory:
The general public is advised to refer to the official notifications issued by the Dental Council of India and State Dental Councils for accurate and up-to-date information regarding the scope of dental specialties.
About Telangana Dental Council:
The Telangana Dental Council is a statutory authority established under the Dentists Act, 1948, responsible for regulating dental professionals across the state of Telangana.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor before taking any step.
Divya Agarwal
