The Supreme Court's top appeals bench has overturned a High Court ruling that allowed diploma-holding dental assistants and dental technologists to practise privately and see patients independently.

A full bench of the Appellate Division led by the chief justice passed the order on Wednesday after allowing an appeal filed by the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC).

The decision means dental technologists will now be allowed to work only as assistants under registered dental surgeons. They will not be able to open their own chambers, see patients independently or prescribe treatment.

Lawyers Mostafizur Rahman Khan and Kazi Ershadul Haque represented the BMDC at the hearing. Lawyers Ahsanul Karim and Anwar Hossain appeared for dental surgeons, while Shishir Manir and Syeda Nasrin represented the writ petitioners.

According to case documents, a writ petition was filed in 2016 seeking recognition of the qualifications of those holding a Diploma in Medical Technology (Dental).

The course was introduced in 1987 as a three-year diploma and was later expanded in 2013 to four years, including a one-year internship.

The petitioners sought permission for diploma-holders to see patients and prescribe medicines as professional medical technologists in dentistry, or diploma dentists.

The petition was filed by Kamal Hossain, organising secretary of Bangladesh Dental Council.

On Jun 13, 2016, the High Court issued a rule and later gave judgment in favour of the petitioners.

The High Court ruling had defined 10 areas of work for dental technologists based on recommendations from the Directorate General of Health Services.

These included primary dental care, tooth extraction under local anaesthesia, prescribing medicines, scaling and polishing, fillings, root canal dressing, and prescribing antibiotics, painkillers and life-saving drugs.

The BMDC challenged the ruling in 2017.

After Wednesday’s verdict, lawyer Anwar Hossain, who represented dental surgeons, said dental technologists were trained to work as assistants to dentists.

“Their degree is a diploma. They enrol in this course after passing the SSC examination,” he told reporters.

“The curriculum is designed so that they can work as assistants to dental surgeons.”

He said the technologists later sought permission to practise independently through a legal application.

“The High Court had earlier set 10 criteria in their favour, including prescribing life-saving drugs and antibiotics,” he said.

“We challenged that ruling through a civil petition. The court granted leave, and after the final hearing today, our civil appeal has been allowed. This means the High Court ruling no longer stands.”

Anwar said dental technologists would no longer be able to practise privately or open chambers to see patients on their own.

“They can work only as assistants under registered dental surgeons,” he said.

“If they apply in the future for any work beyond that, and the authorities consider it, that will be a matter for the future.”