TGMC cites NMC’s guidelines, says dental professionals lack formal training in cosmetic surgeries
Hyderabad – The Telangana Medical Council (TGMC) has officially clarified that dentists, including dental surgeons and Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons (MDS), are not qualified to perform aesthetic procedures or hair transplants. The clarification came in response to a query forwarded to the National Medical Commission (NMC), which reiterated that such procedures must only be performed by medical professionals formally trained in surgical disciplines as per the prescribed curriculum.
According to the TGMC’s public notice, issued following NMC’s reply dated 13 June 2025, the curriculum for BDS and MDS courses does not include aesthetic or hair transplant procedures as core subjects. Therefore, dental professionals lack the surgical expertise and training required for safe and effective execution of such treatments.
The NMC had earlier provided comprehensive guidelines in its notification dated 20 September 2022, issued by the Ethics and Medical Education Board (EMRB). It emphasized that hair transplants should only be carried out by specialists like MCh/DNB in Plastic Surgery or MD/DNB in Dermatology, who undergo formal surgical training in these areas.
“Aesthetic procedures, including hair transplants, involve complex surgical steps and patient management protocols that are not part of dental education,” the NMC had noted. It also stated that these are elective, non-emergency surgeries and must not be performed under “exceptional circumstances” by untrained individuals.
This stands in contrast to a 6 December 2022 circular issued by the Dental Council of India (DCI), which had stated that Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons registered with any State Dental Council could undertake such procedures after adequate training. That guideline has since been legally challenged in the Bombay High Court by the Dynamic Dermatologist and Hair Transplant Association, which filed a PIL questioning the DCI’s authority and seeking withdrawal of the circular.
In its recent communication, the NMC clarified that the DCI had issued its 2022 guidelines without consulting the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of NMC, thereby raising questions about the regulatory overlap.
Referring to this, TGMC said, “In view of the EMRB, NMC guidelines dated 20.09.2022, the Telangana Medical Council notifies the general public that Dentists (BDS), Dental Surgeons, and Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons (MDS) are not qualified to perform aesthetic procedures and hair transplants due to lack of core curriculum training.”
The public is advised to verify the credentials of practitioners offering such cosmetic procedures and ensure that only qualified Registered Medical Practitioners (RMPs) carry them out in line with NMC guidelines.
