A 'dental surgeon' with no BMDC registration: six months in jail and a Tk 1 lakh fine

The first condition for running a dental clinic is that patients are seen by a registered dentist. According to a Prothom Alo report from April 2023, a man opened a private clinic called 'Setu Dental' in G Block, Halishahar, in Chattogram city, and was seeing patients. His prescription pad had 'Dr.' written before his name, along with the title 'Dental Surgeon'. But he was not registered with the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC), and he had no degree either. In a drive led by an executive magistrate of the district administration, a medical officer from the Civil Surgeon's office checked and scrutinised his credentials and identified him as a fake doctor. He was then given a cash fine of Tk 1 lakh and six months' simple imprisonment. In this case the business ended in a single day, along with jail and a fine. For those thinking of investing in a dental clinic, the lesson is that a chair, equipment and a signboard do not make a clinic; a registered dentist and valid papers are the foundation of the business.