The Medical Practitioners and Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2026

Background

The Medical Practitioners and Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2026 seeks to amend the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act (Cap 253). The primary objective is to bring community oral health officers, dental technologists, and optometrists under the regulatory ambit of the national medical regulatory framework, and to update structural, licensing, and compliance operations in the healthcare sector.

Key Amendments

• Renaming of the Regulatory Body: The "Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council" is renamed the "Medical and Dental Council of Kenya" (Section 3).
• Expansion of Scope: The Council's mandate is expanded to register and license dental technologists, optometrists, and community oral health officers. This includes maintaining specific registers for these practitioners.
• Registry and Publication Timelines: The deadline for updating the register is shifted to 31st March of each year, and communication channels are modernized to include email. The annual publication of the registered practitioners list is moved from March to January.
• Temporary Licensing: The Council may grant temporary licenses to eligible foreign medical or dental practitioners or foreign dental technology students to practice in specific institutions for a period not exceeding three months.

New Obligations

• Pre-Registration Exams: Community oral health officers, dental technologists, and optometrists must sit and pass a pre-registration examination before they can be officially registered to practice.
• Professional Indemnity Cover: Practicing medical practitioners must obtain professional indemnity cover annually to qualify for a practicing license. Health institution operators are similarly required to insure their staff against professional liability.

Penalties

• Detention of Patients or Bodies: Detaining a patient or deceased body due to unpaid medical bills is an offence punishable by a fine of up to KSh 5 million, imprisonment for up to five years, or both.
• Fraudulent Registration: Attempting to procure registration or licensing through false or fraudulent representations carries a fine of up to KSh 300,000, imprisonment for up to twelve months, or both.
• Unlicensed Practice & Title Misuse: Practicing without registration, falsely using titles implying professional medical qualifications (including "doctor"), or practicing without a license carries a fine of up to KSh 5 million, imprisonment for up to five years, or both.
• Institutional Violations: Employing unlicensed practitioners or running an unlicensed healthcare facility is punishable by a fine of up to KSh 10 million, imprisonment for up to five years, or both.

Transitional Provisions

• Grandfathering Clause: Individuals who were actively practicing as community oral health officers, dental technologists, or optometrists for three consecutive years prior to the commencement of the Act, and who have not faced disciplinary proceedings, are entitled to be registered.
• Grace Period: Active practitioners within these newly regulated fields are permitted to continue in private practice without a license for a transitional window of up to one year from the date the Act commences, provided they apply for a license within the first six months.