The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has officially lengthened the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree program from four to five years.
This decision, which aims to align the program with international standards, has been communicated to all universities in Pakistan.
Under the new guidelines, the fifth year of the BDS curriculum will focus on clerkship, followed by a compulsory one-year house job. This adjustment aligns Pakistan’s dental education with global practices, with a common five-year duration for the BDS degree.
The updated curriculum will take effect from the 2024-25 academic year.
The University of Health Sciences (UHS) in Lahore had previously implemented a five-year BDS program. This standard mandated for all universities in Pakistan.
