Three of South Africa’s universities of technology have gone to the high court in Pretoria in a bid to break a years-long deadlock that has left dental technology students in limbo and placed critical training programmes at risk of shutting down.
In a joint statement, the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), Durban University of Technology (DUT) and Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) said they had launched legal action against the South African Dental Technicians Council (SADTC) over ongoing disputes around accreditation, assessments and registration processes.
The universities said they were forced to approach the courts after discussions with the council since 2019 failed to produce a solution.
The institutions said the impasse had already damaged the sector, with no new student intakes taking place for several years.
“This has led to no new student intakes by the universities over a number of years, thus placing these critical programmes at risk of permanent closure,” said the universities.
The universities also warned that the country could face a shortage of qualified dental technicians and technologies if the situation continues.
“Dental technicians and technologists are essential members of the oral healthcare team. A prolonged shortage will harm public access to dental services.”
According to the universities, only five students have graduated from TUT since 2023, highlighting the strain the dispute has placed on the profession’s training pipeline.
At the centre of the legal challenge is the SADTC’s current final practical examination framework. The universities claim the system is unfair and does not align with national or international standards.
They said diploma students currently fail the final assessment if they do not meet any one of the 112 binary pass-or-fail criteria.
The universities are asking the high court to set aside the framework and to order the SADTC to register 159 “pipeline students” who completed their qualifications before 2022.
The institutions stressed that they remain committed to public safety and quality education.
“The universities have always prioritised quality and public safety, noting that technician work undergoes multiple layers of professional review before reaching the dentist, who retains final responsibility for patient care,” said the universities.
The three universities said the court application aimed to ensure the long-term future of dental technology training in South Africa and allowing universities to admit students again.
They also called on government departments to help resolve the crisis.
“We call on the department of higher education and training and the national department of health to support a swift, constructive outcome that safeguards high-quality dental technology education and meets South Africa’s oral health needs.”
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