According to a news report, the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant addressing the dentist community at a State Conference of the Indian Dental Association, said that there are fake dentists from outside the state practicing in the coastal belt, fleecing patients, especially foreign tourists. Sadly, he is reported to have said that the government is unable to act against such bogus practitioners unless complaints are filed before the police and the Director of Health by the dental practioners. Is this a tacit admission of the unwillingness or failure of the authorities to act independently, to enforce the laws of the state? Is it possible that all that needs to be done is for the authorities, to compile a data base of such fake dentists, then the designated authority, can visit such suspect fake clinics, and demand production of a recognised qualification, and registration with the Goa Dental Council. In the event of failure to produce such documentary proof, the premises could be sealed, until the matter is clarified . Two or three such cases of action against the fake dentists would clear the state of the remaining fake dentists. Unfortunately is it possible that , unwittingly , an impression is generated , that in the state of Goa, anything goes on unhindered.
