The Dental Therapist Registration Board of Nigeria is a regulatory body that oversees the registration and professional conduct of dental therapists in Nigeria. Dental therapists are oral healthcare professionals who work alongside dentists to provide preventative and restorative dental care to patients. They are trained to perform routine dental procedures such as cleaning teeth, filling cavities, and administering local anesthetics.
In some countries, the DTRB is responsible for accrediting dental therapy training programs. They review curricula and ensure that the programs meet the necessary standards to produce competent and qualified dental therapists.
The DTRB also has the power to investigate complaints and take disciplinary action against registered dental therapists who violate professional standards. This can include suspending or revoking a therapist’s license to practice.
Therefore, the Dental Therapy Registration Board is a crucial regulatory body that oversees the registration and professional conduct of dental therapists. They set standards for education and training, review applications for registration, and enforce professional codes of conduct. By doing so, they help ensure that dental therapists provide safe and effective care to their patients.
All the medical professionals in Nigeria have a regulating body, all registered and established according to the standards of the Nigerian Ministry of Health.
Who are The Dental Therapist Registration Board of Nigeria
The dental therapist registration board of Nigeria; is a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Health established by decree 81 of August 25, 1993, embodied in cap D7 of LFN 2004. With the responsibility of regulating, improving, and maintaining excellence in the professional practice of dental therapists and dental surgery technicians, and dental surgery assistants in Nigeria.
Just like the Nigerian Nursing and Midwifery of Nigeria, regulates the practice of nurses and dental nursing, whereas the Nigerian dental technologies council of Nigeria, regulates the practice of dental technologists in Nigeria.
What Are The Duties Of The Dental Therapist Registration Board of Nigeria
The dental therapist registration board of Nigeria has many functions in improving oral health practice in Nigeria.
Here are some of the duties of the dental therapist registration board of Nigeria ;
- Accreditation of dental schools across the country by approving their centers of learning by ensuring their adherence to the standards and guidelines provided by the board
- Licensure of dental therapists and dental surgery technicians across the country by Inducting/swearing them and giving them licenses that will be continuously renewed after every year.
- Conducting national professional final qualifying board examination at the end of designed academic sessions of each ( dental therapist and dental surgery technicians) annually.
- Control the smooth running of the profession in the country by supervising the working place of its members and conducting research, statistical reports, and investigations to end quackery.
- It conducts workshops and annual meetings to tackle some challenges that are facing the profession and to update the knowledge of its members.
Aims and Objectives of The Dental Therapists Registration Board of Nigeria
The aims and objectives of the dental therapist registration board of Nigeria are listed below;
- Regulating the professional practice of dental therapists and dental surgery technicians/assistants in Nigeria
- Improving the practice of dental therapists and dental surgery technicians/assistants in Nigeria
- Maintaining excellence in the professionals of dental therapists, dental surgery technicians/assistants in Nigeria
How To Be a Member Of The Dental Therapist Registration Board of Nigeria.
To be part of the board as a dental therapist practicing in Nigeria or Outside Nigeria, firstly you have to qualify from the institution you graduated from. Take a registration exam organized by the board yearly; when you pass the exam you will be issued a permanent license. With the permanent license, you can look for a job in Nigeria or practice on your own. The requirements needed to register with the dental therapist board in Nigeria are not much, we have discussed it in our previous post.