On Wednesday, April 9th, 2019 the meeting was held by PMO regarding “scaling up of medical education in India.” As discussed in minutes of the meeting it was “decided to explore the option of allowing dentists to practice family medicine/mainstream medicine following bridge course.”
What is Bridge course?
Last year in July, India’s medical education regulator had agreed to consider a proposal by the Dental Council of India (DCI) to introduce a bridge course for dentists that will allow them to double up as general physicians.
The proposal was initiated after number of dentists and dental surgeons urged DCI for the same, who were interested in pursuing the course that make them qualification equivalent to MBBS doctors.
Niti Ayog along with Health Ministry is examining a proposal to make sure the referral is fulfilled. A meeting is to be held at Niti Ayog on Monday, April 22. The meeting will be attended by Secretary General of the Dental Council of India (DCI) and the director general of dental services in the Armed Forces.
As per decided in the meeting, Niti Ayog is “to discuss issues on leveraging dentists to provide primary health case thereby reducing the gaps in current shortfall of the doctors in the country.”