Dentists warn of quacks posing as practitioners in understaffed clinics

The Kenya Dental Association (KDA) has warned that unqualified people are posing as dentists in some public and private clinics, hospitals and dental centres.

In a statement on Saturday, September 12, the association said understaffing in some facilities had created room for untrained people to provide oral healthcare services despite lacking the required qualifications and licences.

The KDA warned that the practice could expose patients to pain, higher treatment costs and poor care while undermining public trust in dental services.

“The unfortunate decision to have unqualified and untrained persons impersonating and masquerading as dentists/doctors not only harms public trust in delivery of quality healthcare but promotes quackery, unimaginable pain and high costs of care in pursuit of appropriate treatment,” the association said.

The association urged clinics, hospitals and county governments to ensure only licensed and qualified practitioners provide oral healthcare within their approved scopes of practice.

It also advised patients to consider legal action against people who impersonate qualified dentists and facilities that employ unqualified practitioners.

The association said members of the public can verify the qualifications of dentists and the registration status of healthcare facilities through the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC).

The KDA said it would continue promoting professional standards in dentistry and protecting the public from substandard practice.

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It also urged patients to report dental fraud, malpractice, negligence and other forms of professional misconduct to the association.