The Kenya Dental Association (KDA) stands with the FDI World Dental Federation in its renewed global call to action against illegal and unlicensed dental practice — a growing threat to patient safety worldwide and here at home.
On 6 July 2026, FDI released a global patient safety report drawing on a survey of 49 national dental associations across every region. The findings are sobering:
- 58% of dental associations reported confirmed cases of patients harmed by illegal dental practice.
- While 95% of countries have laws regulating dental practice, fewer than half believe those laws work effectively.
- 62% lack reliable data on how widespread illegal practice actually is.
FDI defines illegal dental practice as the provision of dental care by unqualified, unlicensed or unregistered individuals — from tooth extractions carried out in homes, to orthodontic braces fitted in beauty salons, to practitioners working beyond their legal scope. Documented harms include severe infections, permanent oral damage and life-threatening complications.
Patients receiving treatment from unregistered and unqualified providers are at significant risk when irreversible procedures are being performed.
FDI World Dental Federation policy statement (Vienna 2002, revised Sydney 2021)
What KDA asks of the public
Illegal dental practice is not a distant problem. KDA urges every patient to protect themselves:
- Always confirm your dentist is registered with the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) before any treatment.
- Be wary of dental procedures offered outside a proper clinical setting, or at prices that seem too good to be true.
- Report suspected quacks to the KMPDC and to KDA.
KDA joins FDI in calling on regulators, law enforcement and government to strengthen enforcement of existing laws, improve surveillance and data collection, raise public awareness, and expand access to safe, affordable, professional dental care for all Kenyans.
Read more
- FDI World Dental Federation — Action against illegal dental practice: fdiworlddental.org
- FDI global patient safety report on illegal dental practice: dentalnews.pk
- FDI World Dental Federation on Facebook: facebook.com