Professor Florence Obi, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, has pledged to address the ongoing issues in the Dentistry Department, which has faced over-admission problems for several years. Speaking to the media yesterday, she acknowledged that these issues existed before her tenure but assured that she would work diligently to resolve them. The situation has impacted over 300 students across all six years of the program.
She indicated that they are in discussions with 363 other universities that offer Dentistry courses, as well as the dental association, to facilitate transferring students. However, students have expressed a desire to merge the Dentistry program with Medicine and Surgery, a solution the VC deems unfeasible for those in their final years.
As she approaches the end of her term, Obi emphasized her commitment to resolving these issues before leaving office, stating that she has been in touch with the appropriate government officials for support. She also refuted social media claims that the Dentistry program has lost its accreditation, calling such information “misinformation and distortion of facts.” She confirmed that the program remains accredited and insisted that no students were advised to transfer elsewhere or pursue alternative vocational training.
“At no point did the University advise Dentistry students to seek transfers to other institutions, nor were they told to ‘go and learn a trade’ as claimed online,” Obi clarified. She reaffirmed the University’s dedication to ensuring all Dentistry students graduate as licensed dental surgeons. “All we requested was time to coordinate with other institutions, update the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), and follow established procedures,” she stated, adding that the Dentistry program launched in the 2013/2014 academic session and achieved pre-clinical accreditation in November 2019. Complete clinical accreditation was awarded in December 2022. “Our present challenge is not related to the loss of accreditation,” she stated. “The next accreditation review by the MDCN is set for 2027.” I have to acknowledge that the University has a history of accepting more students than the MDCN-sanctioned limit of 10 each session, a matter that existed before my tenure. She revealed that the University obtained accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC) in November 2022, and the next NUC assessment is anticipated to take place in 2029. She mentioned that the institution is taking advantage of the current interim phase to enhance its facilities as part of the process to seek a quota increase. Obi acknowledged financial challenges but emphasized the University’s dedication to advancing its infrastructure. “We have acquired four more dental chairs, raising our total to 36, and we anticipate receiving 16 additional chairs through the Special Presidential Intervention on Medical Colleges.” Obi announced that they received approval to hire more academic personnel and are now waiting for the Budget Office in Abuja to provide final confirmation. “We aim to utilize this approval to enhance the academic team within the Dentistry department,” she mentioned. She also noted that following the resolution of issues related to dental equipment and staffing, they will invite the MDCN for a verification process to potentially expand their quota.
