Kenya: Dentists Reject KMPDC Plan to Let Non-Dentists Offer Dental Care

What the report says

AllAfrica, carrying a Capital FM report from Nairobi, said the Kenya Dental Association (KDA) has threatened to go to court over a Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) publication that the association says would permit non-dentists to provide dental services. The report, dated July 23, 2026, says KDA issued a statement on Thursday objecting to what it described as a proposed scope of practice for people it considers unqualified to perform procedures reserved for licensed dentists.

According to Capital FM, the association argues that any expansion of clinical dental practice must follow lawful procedures, including public participation and consultation with the profession, rather than being introduced through administrative notices or circulars. KDA said the move would endanger patients and weaken professional standards if people without dental training or licensing were allowed to carry out complex care.

The procedures KDA cited as requiring qualified dentists include root canal treatment, orthodontics, restorative dentistry, prosthodontics, advanced dental surgery, paediatric dentistry and prescribing medicines. The association demanded that KMPDC withdraw the publication, halt implementation and disclose the expert reports, competency assessments and consultation materials behind the proposal.

KDA also called for an urgent forum involving the Ministry of Health, universities, professional associations and other stakeholders, linking the dispute to wider concerns about unsafe or unregulated oral healthcare. Capital FM reported that KMPDC had not publicly responded to the claims by the time of publication. The dispute matters because it touches on how Kenya balances access to dental services with patient safety, professional licensing and the legal limits of health-sector regulation.