Dental quacks on the rise in region

Vikas Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 16

Notwithstanding the claims of the government to improve the overall health infrastructure in the state, rapid mushrooming of dental quacks in the Jammu region over the past few years is posing a serious threat to the lives of the people.

As per rough estimates, more than 3,000 dental quacks are running illegally throughout the region without having the requisite qualification or training.

Sources claimed that the problem of quackery in dentistry had assumed alarming proportions, especially in far flung districts like Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri, Poonch and Ramban etc, wherein incompetent dental quacks were playing with the lives of innocent and poor people on the pretext of providing them cheap and best dental treatment.

“What to talk of these far-flung areas (Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri, Poonch and Ramban), even the Jammu district is facing this problem with as many as 1,000 dental quacks doing the illegal practice in every nook and corner of the winter capital. Gummat, bus stand, Residency Road and Hotel Jewel are a few places in Jammu where these roadside dentists can be seen fleecing people,” an official claimed.

As per the Dentist Act of Indian Constitution, practicing dental treatment without a valid dental degree is a legal crime and is punishable under law, but the emergence of these fake dentists who are running their practice without any fear is a matter of serious concern.

“One of the main reasons behind the mushrooming of dental quackery is the high cost of dental treatment along with illiteracy, lack of awareness and poor accessibility to dental clinics etc. Ironically, even the public repose too much faith in the treatment of these dental quacks who have no scientific basis,” another official said.

“Bari Brahmana area in the Samba district, too, has a number of dental quacks who are running the illegal practice under the noose of the authorities. No serious initiative has been taken so far by the government to close such illegal clinics which are running since decades,” a source claimed.

Dr Gautam Sharma, general secretary, Indian Dental Association (IDA), Jammu, told The Tribune that the association had recently met Jammu Deputy Commissioner Simrandeep Singh and apprised him about the prevailing grim scenario.

“Recently, we also met the Jammu DC in his office and informed him about the ongoing dental quackery in Jammu and its adjoining areas. With the continuation of the illegal practice, there is every possibility of threat of communicable diseases like HIV and hepatitis persisting because these quacks are not following the proper and scientific methods of sterilisation,” Dr Sharma said.

“Though the DC has assured us of taking a strict action against those endangering the lives of public, he also asked us to provide a list of the illegal dental quacks. However, it is almost impossible to get the exact figure because they are scattered everywhere,” the general secretary added.