New Delhi: In a major change that will impact both patients and dental students, the Center has replaced the Dental Council of India (DCI) with a new regulator, the National Dental Commission (NDC). The new system came into effect on March 19, repealing the old law governing dentistry. The move aims to improve the quality of dental education, keep a close watch on the colleges and ensure better and more affordable dental care for the people.The government has also changed how the system will work. Instead of one body, the NDC would function through three separate boards – one to oversee dental education, one to inspect and evaluate colleges, and one to handle the ethics and registration of dentists. Officials said this would make regulation more focused and accountable.Dr. Sanjay Tiwari has been appointed chairman of the new commission. The Center has also nominated experts to head the three boards.For the public, the greatest impact is expected to be on the quality and availability of dental care. The new commission will set clear standards for how dentists are trained and how institutions operate. It will also work on improving access to basic dental services, an area where shortcomings have been widely reported.Students are likely to see strict monitoring of dental colleges. The institutions will be assessed and evaluated and the Commission will frame guidelines to regulate fees in private colleges. This is expected to bring greater transparency and reduce sharp differences in costs. The Commission will also look into the availability of dentists across the country and promote research to address the shortage and improve services.The National Dental Commission replaces a decades-old system that faced criticism over transparency and delays in reforms. With the new panel, the government is aiming to create a more streamlined and accountable framework that will improve both dental education and patient care.