The Kenya Dental Association (KDA) has petitioned the Parliament seeking urgent intervention over the Bachelor of Science in Oral Health programme, which it says lacks proper legal and regulatory grounding.
In a statement on Wednesday, March 4, the association called for the immediate suspension of the programme, arguing that its accreditation status, statutory approval and professional recognition remain unclear.
"The Kenya Dental Association (KDA) has formally petitioned the Parliament of Kenya to urgently investigate and immediately suspend a purported Bachelor of Science in Oral Health programme whose accreditation status, statutory approval and professional recognition remain unclear and deeply questionable," the statement read.
According to KDA, the programme was introduced without consultation with key regulators and stakeholders in the dental profession, a move it described as a major regulatory lapse.
"KDA states unequivocally that no key statutory regulator or professional stakeholder was consulted in the conception, development, or rollout of this programme. This exclusion is not a minor procedural oversight; it is a serious regulatory lapse. Professional training in healthcare cannot be introduced outside established legal and consultative frameworks," the statement added.
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KDA further argued that the programme appears to create a professional designation that does not legally exist under Kenyan law.
"Under the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act (Cap 253), there is no legally recognized or registrable professional cadre designated as an ‘Oral Health Practitioner.’ The term is a broad descriptive phrase commonly used to refer to Dental Surgeons, Dental Practitioners, and their clinical support teams. It is not a distinct statutory title.
"Any attempt to present it as such constitutes misrepresentation and risks circumventing the safeguards that govern professional education, licensure and patient safety in Kenya," the statement continued.
KDA maintained that training and licensing in the dental field are tightly regulated to protect patients and ensure professional standards are upheld.
"The training of dental professionals and auxiliary cadres in Kenya is subject to clearly defined national standards, structured regulatory oversight and established licensure pathways. These protections exist to safeguard patients and maintain professional integrity. They are mandatory, not optional," the statement further read.
KDA added that under the law, only graduates of accredited Bachelor of Dental Surgery programmes registered by the relevant statutory body are legally permitted to practice dentistry in full.
"Under Kenyan law, only graduates of accredited Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programmes who are duly registered by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council are legally permitted to practice the full range of dentistry. Any deviation from this framework is unlawful and exposes the public to unacceptable risk," the statement explained.
As part of its petition, the association outlined specific demands to government agencies to prevent what it termed as confusion and potential unlawful professional pathways.
"We demand that the Ministry of Education immediately halt any further progression of this programme pending full regulatory clarification; and the Commission for University Education urgently engage statutory regulators and professional stakeholders to prevent confusion, duplication or unlawful professional training pathways," KDA demanded.
Elsewhere, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has reached an agreement with the Trans Nzoia County Government, securing promotions and conversion of contract staff to permanent and pensionable terms for doctors.
In a statement on Wednesday, KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah said the deal follows a strike notice issued on February 4, which prompted negotiations between union officials and the county administration led by Governor George Natembeya.
"Following the strike notice issued on 4th February 2026, we engaged the County Government of Trans Nzoia in negotiations led by H.E. Governor George Natembeya. We are pleased to update our members and the public that we have reached a firm agreement on the following," the statement read.
According to Atellah, a major outcome of the negotiations is the promotion of doctors across several job groups, with clear timelines provided for implementation.
The union announced that 22 doctors currently in Job Group N will move up to Job Group P by mid-March.
"22 doctors in Job Group N to be promoted to Job Group P by 17th March 2026 (aligned to CPSB timelines)," the statement added.
In addition, doctors in Job Group P who had already undergone interviews for advancement to Job Group Q will also see their promotions effected within the same timeline.
"Doctors in Job Group P to Q who were interviewed to be promoted by 17th March 2026," the statement continued.
The agreement further addresses outstanding cases in higher job groups, with a 90-day window set for resolution.
"All pending promotions in Job Groups Q, R and S to be finalized within 90 days from 17th February 2026," the statement further read.
Beyond promotions, the agreement also provides job security for doctors currently serving on contract terms in Trans Nzoia County.
The union confirmed that 12 doctors will transition to permanent and pensionable employment by the end of March.
"12 doctors currently on contract to be converted to Permanent and Pensionable terms by 31st March 2026," the statement explained.
