By Lebone Rodah Mosima
Three universities of technology have launched a high court application in Pretoria over an unresolved dispute with the South African Dental Technicians Council (SADTC). Â
In a joint statement, the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), Durban University of Technology (DUT), and Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) said discussions with the SADTC on accreditation, assessment and registration processes had continued since 2019 without resolution.
ALSO READ: Aid reaches flood victims in Hluvukani as families rebuild after devastating rains
The three universities are the only South African institutions training dental technicians and technologists.
They said the unresolved discussions had resulted in no new student intakes over a number of years, placing the programmes at risk.
“The five students who graduated from TUT since 2023 constitute the country’s graduate output,” the universities said.
“Dental technicians and technologists are essential members of the oral healthcare team. A prolonged shortage will harm public access to dental services.”
The universities said that technician work undergoes multiple layers of professional review before reaching the dentist, who retains final responsibility for patient care.
The institutions are asking the high court for various orders, including setting aside what they said was SADTC’s unfair and unilaterally imposed current final practical examination framework.
According to the statement, the framework requires a diploma student to fail if any one of 112 binary pass/fail criteria is failed. The universities said the framework was not aligned with national or international norms and standards.
They are also asking the court to require the SADTC to register 159 “pipeline students” who lawfully completed their qualifications before 2022.
ALSO READ: Durban-born researcher advances personalised TB treatment
The universities said the application was launched to enable the sustainable continuation of dental technology training and to ensure continued student intake in the programmes.
“We call on the Department of Higher Education and Training and the National Department of Health to support a swift, constructive outcome that safeguards high-quality dental technology education and meets South Africa’s oral health needs,” the universities said.
