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Kenya Dental Association has told Parliament that graduates of an unaccredited Oral Health degree are being marketed to the public as dentists, a move it says threatens patient safety across the country.
The Kenya Dental Association (KDA) submitted a memorandum to Parliament on February 26, through the Departmental Committee on Health and the Departmental Committee on Education, raising concerns about a Bachelor of Science in Oral Health programme whose accreditation status regulators say they know nothing about.
"There are credible concerns that graduates of this programme are being represented to members of the public as dentists and dental practitioners despite not having undergone accredited dentistry training as required under Kenyan law," said KDA President Dr Kahura Mundia in a statement on Wednesday, March 4.
The memorandum identifies the programme as operating without publicly verifiable accreditation, recruiting students without disclosing licensure limitations and marketing itself as a pathway to dental practice.
KDA warns this amount to misrepresentation.
Under Kenyan law, only graduates of accredited Bachelor of Dental Surgery programmes registered by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) can legally practise dentistry.
The association notes that while roles such as dental therapists, dental technologists and dental hygienists exist as distinct professions, none can be represented as equivalent to a dentist.
"Transparency in titling and scope is essential to prevent public confusion, practice overreach and harm to members of the public," observed Mundia.
KDA warns that students enrolling in the programme face financial loss, career disruption and ineligibility for licensure.
It asks Parliament to direct an inquiry into the programme's accreditation status, compel formal responses from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Commission for University Education (CUE) and ensure public advisories are issued to protect students and parents.
"The integrity of Kenya's healthcare system depends on strict adherence to accredited training standards and clear professional pathways," noted Mundia.
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