In Kerala the first initiative to set up a Health Council was taken by H.H the Maharaja of Travancore in the year 1944. The Travancore Medical Practitioners Bill was passed as an act by H.H the Maharaja of Travancore on 1st Chingam 1119 (17th August 1943) as Act No. VII of 1119. The Act was named “The Travancore Medical Practitioners Act 1119” and consequent to that “The Travancore Medical Council” was constituted in 1944. The Travancore Medical council also maintained a register of Dentists practicing in the then state of Travancore – Cochin. The Dentists Act 1948 (16 of 1948) came into force from 29 March 1948. But then the Act was not extended to the whole of India. By Dentists (Amendment) Act 1955 (12 of 1955) the Dentists Act was extended and made applicable to all the states of India except Jammu and Kashmir.
The present state of Kerala came into existence on 1st November 1956. The state government constituted a three member “Dentist Registration Tribunal” by a notification No. C. P. HL. 9-17537/55/ EHL dated 15-10-1957.
The members of the Registration Tribunal were :
- Dr. Clement AM
- Dr. Antony KJ
- Dr. Raghavan UK.
Mr. Moses E was appointed as the Registrar of the Tribunal.
This tribunal prepared and published the first register of Dentists in the Kerala Gazette dated 05-06-1962. With the publication of the first register, the function of the tribunal came to an end.
On 16-07-1963, the state government notified the “Kerala Dental Council Rules 1963” in the Gazette vide notification No. 48321/04/62/HLD dated 06-06-1963.
Subsequent to the notification of the KDC Rules, elections were held to the Kerala Dental Council, for the first time.
The first Council was constituted u/s 21 of the Dentists Act on 09-02-1965 vide notification No. 83308/03/64 /H&LO dated 09-02-1965.
The first President and Vice President were Dr. Subramonian V and Dr. John Parakkal respectively.
The other members of the first Council were :
- Dr. Cherian Chacko Poothicote
- Dr. MR Parameswara Menon
- Dr. George Varghese P
- Dr. Peter Christian
- Dr. Narayanan Nair VR
- Dr. G O Pal
- Dr. Rajan PK
- Dr. Krishna Pillan R
- Dr. Chacko Chacko Kaithakal
- Dr. James A A
- Dr. Justin Samuel Thaddeus.
Dr. Subramonian vacated the office of President in 1968. Then Dr. John Parakkal and Dr. G O Pal were elected President and Vice President respectively.
Initially KDC was sharing a common Registrar with Travancore Cochin Medical Council and the Kerala Nursing Council. Since 2007, KDC was sharing a common Register only with the medical council.
KDC was sharing the office premises also with the medical council. As the number of registered dentists in the state was going up, the work load really increased. In the year 2016 when Dr. Anish P was the President, KDC decided to shift to a new premises with adequate space. On 16-02-2017, KDC office was shifted to the present premises at Vanchiyoor. On that day of the then President, Dr. Shaji K. Joseph inaugurated the new office in a glittering function.
In the beginning of 2018 , KDC realized the need for a full time independent Registrar as the work load dramatically increased. After getting approval from the state government and following the due selection process, Shri. Bhadran S. was appointed as the first full time Registrar of the council on 13-06-2019.
Presently KDC is aiming two more major projects – the first being fully computerised and paperless office with online facilities. The second major aim is to have an own office building in the city of Thiruvananthapuram.
Presently KDC has the following number of professionals in its register as on 01-11-2020.
Dentists
- Part A – 26,045
- Part B – 338
Dental Hygienists
- Part A – 566
- Part B – 175
Dental Mechanics
- Part A – 992
- Part B – 209
- DORA – 100
