When it comes to healthcare—especially dentistry—choosing the right professional is crucial for your safety, comfort, and long-term health. In Bangladesh, most patients trust signboards, advertisements, and doctor’s titles to decide where to go for treatment. Unfortunately, an increasing number of dental clinics and practitioners are using non-recognized foreign degrees and honorary titles on their signboards …
When it comes to healthcare—especially dentistry—choosing the right professional is crucial for your safety, comfort, and long-term health. In Bangladesh, most patients trust signboards, advertisements, and doctor’s titles to decide where to go for treatment. Unfortunately, an increasing number of dental clinics and practitioners are using non-recognized foreign degrees and honorary titles on their signboards to attract patients. These degrees may appear impressive, but many of them are not registered with the Bangladesh Dental Council (BDC) and do not reflect any verified training or expertise.
This article is meant to raise awareness among patients, helping you understand what these degrees mean, what to look out for, and how to choose a genuinely qualified and ethical dentist.
The Growing Concern: Foreign Titles Without Real Training
If you’ve visited any dental chamber recently, you may have seen titles like:
FRHS (UK) – This sounds royal and scientific but in reality, it is not a recognized academic degree. The “Royal Health Society” is not an accredited medical training institution, and the fellowship is mostly offered through honorary inclusion or paid membership. No exam, training, or evaluation is required.
FICD (USA) – FICD is an honorary fellowship given to selected dentists for contributions to the profession. It is not a clinical qualification, and it does not represent any additional training, specialization, or authority to perform complex procedures. Still, many dentists in Bangladesh list it prominently to appear more credible or internationally trained.
FDSRCS (UK) – Fellow of Dental Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons of UK. -No training or academic coursework is required to get this honorary fellowship. No examination is taken. These titles are achiecved or granted based on experience and reference from 2 other fellows .They are not recognized by the Bangladesh Dental Council and do not entitle the dentist to claim specialist status. It was recognized degree till 2001 . After 2001 it was replaced by MFDSRCS non specialty membership diploma consists two parts exam.
- Fellowship in Orthodontics, Prosthodontics, Maxillofacial Surgery and Endodontics from USA –Fellowship like “Fellowship in Orthodontics” or “Fellowship in Pediatric Dentistry” from USA may appear impressive. But many listed on signboards do not correspond to actual clinical training.
While these titles may sound prestigious, most of them are honorary and do not represent clinical qualifications.
Why This Is a Serious Problem
1. It Misleads Patients
Most patients in Bangladesh are not familiar with medical or academic systems abroad. Seeing a foreign-sounding degree like “FDSRCS (UK)” or “FICD (USA)” naturally builds trust. Patients assume the dentist is internationally trained or has advanced knowledge, which may not be true at all.
2. It Gives Unfair Advantage Over Honest Dentists
Dentists who work hard to earn valid qualifications like BDS, FCPS, MS, PhD, or MClinDent often do not use flashy titles. But those using unrecognized or honorary degrees may attract more patients simply because they appear more “educated” or “foreign-qualified.”
3. It Can Lead to Unsafe Treatment
Some dentists use these titles to perform procedures beyond their skill level. For example, a general dentist displaying honorary degrees might attempt complex surgeries or orthodontics without proper training. This can lead to botched treatments, long-term complications, or even legal problems.
What Bangladesh Dental Council (BDC) Says
The Bangladesh Dental Council (BDC) is the regulatory authority responsible for registering qualified dentists and specialists. According to BDC rules:
Only degrees recognized by the BDC can be used in practice advertisements and signboards.
No honorary or foreign title can be used to mislead or deceive patients.
Practitioners must not claim to be specialists without approved specialist registration (e.g., Oral Surgeon, Prosthodontist, Orthodontist).
Unfortunately, enforcement is weak, and many dentists continue to violate these rules without penalty.
✅ Understand the Real post graduate Specialty Clinical Degrees in dentistry
Valid dental qualifications in Bangladesh include:
FCPS (Fellowship of the College of Physicians & Surgeons) – A recognized postgraduate degree.
MS (Master of Surgery) – In Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthodontics or similar.
MClinDent (UL/AUS))– Research or clinical specializations from reputed institutions.
- MFDS RCS (UK or Ireland) : Non specialty membership diploma.
- M Orth RCS, M Prosth RCS, M Paed RCS (UK), MOM RCPS – These are approved clinical specialty degrees of UK recognized by BMDC.
Dentistry is a science and an art that requires years of education, hands-on practice, and continuous learning. Honorary titles may sound good, but they do not replace proper clinical training. As a patient, you deserve treatment from someone who is not just impressive on paper but truly capable in the clinic.
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