LAHORE: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) has decided to extend the duration of the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) program from four to five years in a bid to bring the degree up to par with international requirements.

This historic development, driven by the efforts of the University of Health Sciences (UHS) and the formal guidelines in this regard, have been conveyed to all medical universities in the country.

UHS had already taken the initiative to extend the BDS program to five years and officially communicated it to PM&DC. The proposal was presented by UHS Vice-Chancellor Prof Ahsan Waheed Rathore during an online meeting with PM&DC officials, during which a comprehensive framework for the new five-year program was shared. Subsequently, the council approved the proposal and disseminated its decision to the relevant institutions.

According to PM&DC, the move brings Pakistan in line with global standards where the BDS degree is typically a five-year programme. The council highlighted that Pakistani graduates with four-year degrees faced significant challenges in pursuing higher education and employment opportunities abroad. Under the revised structure, the fifth year will focus on a clinical internship, followed by a year of compulsory work at home.

The implementation of this policy will begin from the academic session 2024-25. Additionally, universities will publish revised transcripts for previous BDS graduates to ensure their qualifications are internationally recognized. The council also clarified that domestic jobs previously performed by BDS graduates will now be considered equivalent to the new year of internship. Work on detailed guidelines for the five-year program is already underway.

A UHS spokesperson noted that the initiative would not only elevate the global standing of Pakistani dental graduates but also usher in an era of transformation for dental education in the country.

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