NATIONAL ROAD MAP TO PROMOTE DENTAL EDUCATION VIA TEN COMMDANDMENT RE-COMMENDATIONS FOR PAKISTAN–OUR PERSPECTIVE

Road Map To Promote Dental Education

Abstract

Respected Sir,
I am writing in response to the recent guest editorial, entitled, “National Road Map To Promote Dental Education Via Ten Commdandment Recommendations For Pakistan–Our Perspective” published in February 2016.
Firstly, I appreciate the authors for highlighting important concerns related to the introduction of seven new specialties, curriculum development, extracurricular activities, role of community dentistry and admission policy.
Secondly, authors have mainly acknowledged the role of the presidents of College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) and its fellows in dentistry, especially for the commencement of postgraduate program, which, I think may dishearten many contributors who have spent their lives for the betterment of dental profession.
I take the opportunity through this letter to convey my point of view for the aforementioned editorial.
Undoubtedly, CPSP has played a vital role for the dental profession, but we must not forget to acknowledge the contribution of the leading institutes, namely Dow university of Health Sciences, Karachi, Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences, Jamshoro, De’Montmorency College of Dentistry, Lahore and Pakistan
Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad etc for awarding hundreds of MDS & M.Sc degrees in various specialties of Dentistry.
In addition, nearly 10 PhDs have been produced from the world top universities under the scholarships awarded by the Higher Education Commission, Pakistan in last decade and they are providing their services in various dental institutes across the country. Therefore,
the role of the Higher Education Commission, Pakistan cannot be ignored.
It is a brilliant idea to introduce new specialties in Dentistry, but before moving a step forward, we should first consider to overcome
the dearth of qualified faculty in our existing disciplines, such as, Community Dentistry, Oral Medicine, and Periodontology etc. It is also worth
mentioning that Pakistan Medical & Dental council has directed some dental colleges to stop admission process due to the lack of faculty
members in the existing specialties.
It would be a bias to recommend only CPSP passed fellows as consultant oral & maxillofacial surgeons at every medical college hospital and also at every district level hospital throughout Pakistan, this strategy may disappoint the colleagues possessing major degrees like MDS not fellowships.
Lastly, I would be grateful, if my suggestions may be taken positively for the betterment of dental profession.