Three South African universities have approached the High Court in Pretoria in a bid to resolve a long-running dispute with the South African Dental Technicians Council (SADTC) that has halted dental technology training programmes since 2019.
The Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), Durban University of Technology (DUT), and Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) said the impasse over accreditation, assessment, and registration processes has prevented new student intakes for several years, placing the future of the programmes at risk.
The universities added that the deadlock has significantly reduced graduate output, with only five dental technology graduates produced by TUT since 2023.
They argue that the continued suspension of training threatens the sustainability of the profession and could lead to a shortage of qualified dental technicians in South Africa.
“Dental technicians and technologists are essential members of the oral healthcare team. A prolonged shortage will harm public access to dental services,” the universities said in a joint statement.
The institutions are seeking a court order to set aside what they describe as a disputed final practical examination framework imposed by the Council, and to compel the registration of 159 “pipeline students” who completed their qualifications before 2022.
They said engagements with the Council have continued since 2019 without resolution, effectively leaving the programmes suspended and preventing the admission of new cohorts.
The universities have also called on the Department of Higher Education and Training and the Department of Health to intervene to prevent further disruption to training in the sector.
In response, the South African Dental Technicians Council said the suspension was linked to accreditation compliance concerns, laboratory standards, and disagreements over joint assessment requirements between the Council and the universities.
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