Under pressure from private medical and dental colleges, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has decided to delay the implementation of the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programme’s conversion from four to five years for one year.
This decision allows students admitted in the upcoming academic year to complete the programme within the existing four-year structure, officials confirmed on Monday. Senior PMDC officials stated: “The decision to extend the BDS programme duration to five years has been postponed for one year. However, from the next academic year onwards, the programme will be extended to five years in line with recommendations from experts.”
The proposed extension follows recommendations by a committee of dental experts, which emphasized the need to align Pakistan’s dental education standards with international practices. However, private dental colleges across the country reportedly raised concerns about implementing the changes this year, citing insufficient infrastructure and logistical challenges.
“Most private dental colleges lack the resources and faculty to extend the programme by an additional year at this stage,” an official explained, detailing the reasons behind the council’s decision to delay the implementation.
Despite the postponement, sources within the medical and dental education sector revealed that the decision faced significant resistance from private dental colleges. These institutions reportedly argued that the additional year would increase operational costs and discourage potential students.
In November last year, the PMDC mandated the extension of the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programme to five years, effective from the 2024-2025 academic session.
Read more: New Saudi Airline to Launch Operations in Pakistan
The restructuring aims to align Pakistan’s dental education with international standards and was formally communicated to all medical universities across the country. It addresses challenges Pakistani graduates face in securing training and employment opportunities abroad, where a five-year transcript is often a prerequisite.
 has decided to delay implementation of BDS programme){kind=link}