Telangana Dental and Medical Councils clash over rights to perform hair transplants, aesthetic surgeries

A dispute has erupted between Telangana’s medical and dental councils over who can perform hair transplants and aesthetic surgeries. The Dental Council defends Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons’ qualifications, while the Medical Council claims they lack formal training for such procedures

Hyderabad: A full-fledged turf war is threatening to break out between Telangana Medical Council (TMC) and the Telangana Dental Council (TDC) over who can take up aesthetic surgeries and hair transplant procedures.

Responding to a notification issued by the TMC, the TDC on Saturday issued a public notice clarifying that duly registered Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, trained under the standards prescribed by the Dental Council of India (DCI), are fully qualified and authorised to perform facial aesthetic procedures and hair transplantation.

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The TDC advised the general public not to be misled or unduly influenced by statements or communications from any organisations, councils, or bodies other than the DCI or the respective State Dental Councils concerning this matter.

The TDC affirmed that such procedures fall within the recognised scope of practice of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, as per the governing regulations and curriculum. This notification is issued in the interest of public clarity, professional transparency, and to uphold the integrity of dental and OMFS (Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons) practice in the state, the Dental Council clarified.

The Telangana Medical Council had on Thursday issued a notification stating, ‘Dental Surgeons, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (MDS) do not have these specialties as a core topic in their curriculum, and as such, they lack formal surgical knowledge and training to perform surgeries like hair transplant and aesthetic procedures”.