Local legislative body Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), has approved an ordinance regulating the sale of dental materials and supplies within Iloilo City in the Philippines.
The approval was made during a session on 30 Aug where the SP cited common illegal practices such as installation of braces by unlicensed persons not only in the city, but also throughout the Philippines. This is reported due to dental materials and supplies being readily available to the public without any prescription or authorisation.
The approved ordinance titled — Republic Act 9484 or An Act to Regulate the Practice of Dentistry, Dental Hygiene, and Dental Technology in the Philippines — reads: “a person must be a holder of a Certificate of Registration and Professional Identification in Dentistry in order to perform dental procedures within the patient’s oral cavity or for that matter, any other acts constituting the practice of dentistry.”
Under the approved ordinance, violators on their first offence will face a fine of P2,500 (US$44.14) and a notice of closure of business establishment from the City Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) and/or the City Health Office; or a fine of P5,000 (US$88.28) and closure of business establishment on the second offence.
The ordinance was first proposed by Office of City Councilor Johnny Young in collaboration with the Philippine Dental Association (PDA)-Iloilo Chapter on 25 Jan, when a group of dentists sought the help of the SP in addressing the illegal practices.
PDA-Iloilo president Ma Solidad J Grecia said that regulating the sale of dental materials through the new measure will help stop illegal or unlicensed dental practice especially DIY (do-it-yourself) braces and those done by unauthorised practitioners. She further highlighted the importance of seeking the assistance of licensed dentists for the protection and safety of the patient.
The city is the capital of the province of Iloilo in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. The population of Iloilo City is estimated at 491,461 in 2023. In 2022, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group 6 (CIDG-6) arrested two fake dentists in the province after a 17-year-old girl filed a complaint to the PDA when she suffered an infection after the arrested installed braces on her teeth.
