The Telangana Medical Council (TGMC) has issued a directive to withhold plastic surgery training postings for postgraduate students pursuing Masters in Dental Surgery (MDS)Â in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS). The decision was announced in a letter on Saturday, addressed to the Director of Medical Education (DME), the Vice Chancellor or Registrar of Kaloji Narayana Rao Institute of Health Sciences (KNRUHS), and principals of all medical colleges.
The letter highlights a discrepancy regarding a practice of Aesthetic and Hair Transplantation procedures by MDS-OFMS professionals. TGMC had sought clarification from the National Medical Commission (NMC) in this matter.
In response, the NMC, through its Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB), stated in a letter dated June 13, that a public notice issued by the Dental Council of India (DCI) on December 6, 2022, which suggested MDS-OMFS practitioners could perform these procedures, was issued “without consulting EMRB, NMC”.
The NMC’s guidelines on Aesthetic Surgery and Hair Transplant Procedures, issued on September 20, 2022, stated that hair transplantation procedures, which involve skin incisions, must be performed by a properly trained and licensed Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP) of modern medicine.
Furthermore, the NMC that highlighted it is unethical for a doctor to train individuals not accredited or licensed health professionals to perform or assist in such surgeries. Aesthetic procedures, including hair transplants, should only be undertaken by RMPs who have adequate training as per their curriculum.
The Dental Council of India’s (DCI) public notice had stated that Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons registered with any State Dental Council in India could undertake Aesthetic and Hair Transplant procedures. This notice is now superseded by the NMC’s clarification that it was issued without their consultation.
Published – July 19, 2025 08:29 pm IST
