The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar (UniCal), Prof. Florence Obi, says she is determined to resolve the crisis surrounding the non-induction of 2016 Dentistry students by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) within the next few months, before the end of her tenure
Speaking during a press briefing on Tuesday in Calabar, Prof. Obi attributed the problem to UniCal’s long-standing violation of the MDCN’s admission quota.
The consequence of this violation, she noted, is the MDCN’s refusal to induct nearly 60 students from the 2016 cohort, despite their graduation
She mentioned that with only a few months left in her term, she intends to settle the issue before exiting the office
“I will feel very bad if I leave without solving this problem, and the students are left hanging without knowing their fate. I won’t be fulfilled,” she said.
How UniCal’s Dentistry quota crisis began
The VC disclosed that the MDCN had declined to induct students admitted in the 2016 academic session, citing that the department had admitted about 60 students well above the 10-student quota allocated to UniCal’s Dentistry programme.
She explained that the university began the Dentistry programme in the 2013/2014 academic session, and though it received full accreditation in 2022, the MDCN advised the institution to stop further admissions to allow room for managing the backlog of over-admitted students.
She explained that the institution admitted beyond the quota due to high demand, a move the council did not take lightly.
Infrastructure upgrade underway
To tackle the issue, Obi said UniCal is collaborating with the Minister of Education and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to upgrade facilities and push for an increase in its approved quota.
She also responded to claims that the department was being shut down. She explained that the Department of Dentistry was only working to adhere to the stipulated quota and transfer the students exceeding the quota to other accredited institutions offering Dentistry.
The VC disclosed that some affected students had requested to be absorbed into the Department of Medicine and Surgery, but this was not possible due to capacity constraints.
She stated that more students would only create further confusion in a system already under pressure.
Obi assured that any transfers would be handled transparently and students would be allowed to choose the universities they prefer to continue their programme.
Meanwhile, many of the affected students have rejected the transfer option. Some, dressed in their ward coats, were seen around the VC’s office demanding to complete their programme at UniCal rather than being transferred to another school.
What you should know
The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) is the statutory body responsible for regulating the training and practice of medicine and dentistry in Nigeria. It was established under the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act of 1963 and is tasked with ensuring that only properly trained, qualified, and ethically responsible professionals are allowed to practise in the country.
The MDCN admission quotas are designed to ensure institutions do not admit more students than they can adequately train based on available infrastructure and staffing.
Before any graduate of medicine or dentistry can begin their compulsory internship or housemanship, they must be inducted by the MDCN. Without this induction, the individual cannot legally practise in Nigeria.
This makes the council’s approval essential for every step of a medical or dental graduate’s professional journey.
