Medical Specialty Board's Decision on Doctorate and Specialty Certificates Taken to Court
The Medical Specialty Board's decision to grant conditional specialty certificates to dentists who completed their doctorates between specific dates has been taken to court by professional organizations.
The Medical Specialty Board's decision to provide conditional specialty certificates to those who completed doctorates in dentistry between certain dates has sparked debate within the dentistry community and been brought to the judicial process.
Scope of the Medical Specialty Board Decision
The Medical Specialty Board's decision dated June 16, 2026, and numbered 2826, ignited a new controversy in the field of dentistry. The regulation offers dentists who started their doctorate education between certain dates the opportunity to obtain a specialty certificate, provided they meet certain conditions.
Application for Annulment to the Council of State by Institutions
While the Turkish Dental Association announced it would file a lawsuit for annulment against the decision, Genel Sağlık-İş also filed a lawsuit at the Council of State on September 14, 2026, requesting the annulment and suspension of execution of the regulation. Both institutions argue that doctorate and specialty trainings are distinct processes.
Conditions Required for the Specialty Certificate
Within the scope of the decision, dentists who started their doctorate education after April 26, 2011, and before February 4, 2026, and who have completed or are still continuing their doctorates, are required to fulfill specified conditions. During this process, they are asked to take the DUS with a separate code to be determined by ÖSYM and meet the base score requirement.
Candidates are also required to document their clinical practices and procedure counts, complete missing training, and perform mandatory rotations, while certain dentists who have served as active faculty members for at least three years are exempt from the procedure count requirement.
Genel Sağlık-İş's Objections Regarding Authority and Merit
Genel Sağlık-İş states that one of the main reasons for their opposition to the decision is that the MSB exceeded its legal powers. The union argues that Law No. 1219 does not grant the MSB the authority to make regulations within this scope.