The Government Dental Surgeons' Association has denied recent media reports attributing views on the proposed 22nd Constitutional Amendment to its members, clarifying that the organization has taken no official position on the matter.
The Government Dental Surgeons' Association issued a statement on Monday distancing itself from media coverage linking the organization to discussions on the 22nd Constitutional Amendment. According to the Association's Secretary Dr. Aruna Abeywardena, neither the Executive Committee nor the Central Working Committee has deliberated on the amendment, and no formal position has been adopted on the subject.
The Association addressed confusion surrounding its participation in an awareness session organized by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, emphasizing that attendance reflected its customary involvement in professional union events rather than endorsement of any particular stance. Officials stated that constitutional and legal matters fall outside the professional scope of a dental surgeons' organization and should not be interpreted as the Association taking a position on constitutional reform.
While clarifying its neutrality on the amendment, the Association reiterated strong opposition to a separate Cabinet decision affecting the dental profession. The organization expressed concern about plans to establish specialist medical and dental services independently from the existing medical service structure. The Association contended that implementing such structural changes without comprehensive study and broad consultation risks undermining professional cohesion, disrupting career advancement pathways, and creating complications in recruitment and promotion procedures.
The Association, which recently marked a century of public dental services, called on the government to conduct thorough research and engage all relevant professional associations before proceeding with any major reorganization of public health services. Officials warned that hasty implementation of significant structural reforms could create substantial complications in the future.