July 11, 2006

CHED MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 034-06

In accordance with the pertinent provisions of Republic Act No. 7722, otherwise known as the "Higher Education Act of 1994" and by virtue of CHED en banc Resolution No. 234-2006 dated March 30, 2006 on the opening of new dental programs, new procedures shall be implemented in the processing of applications for Government Authority to Operate Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) program.

The issuance of Government Authority shall progress from: 1) Permit to cover the offering of the 1st and 2nd year levels of Pre-dental program; 2) Permit covering the offering 1st year, 2nd year, and 3rd year levels of dentistry proper; and, 3) Recognition of the entire Dental program.

The issuance of the permit covering the 1st year level of dental proper shall require full compliance of minimum standards for the first two years of the program. Permit for the 2nd year level must be secured in the 1st year of operation. Permit for the 3rd year level must be secured in the 2nd year of operation. For issuance of Government Recognition, full compliance of the minimum standards for the whole program is required.

All applications for Government Authority (Permit and Recognition) to operate Dental program shall be submitted to the CHED Regional Offices for preliminary evaluation. Preliminary evaluation by the CHEDRO shall include documentary analysis and requirement for the completion of compliance documents. Only applications that are favorably recommended by the CHEDROs shall be forwarded to the Office of Programs and Standards (OPS) through the Office of the Executive Director. aIHSEc

The Technical Committee for Dental Education (TCDE) of the OPS shall conduct the ocular inspection and final evaluation of the applications. If favorably endorsed by the TCDE, the recommendation shall be submitted by the OPS through the Executive Office then to the Commission en banc for final decision. If the action taken therein by the Commission en banc is favorable, the corresponding CHED Resolution shall be forwarded by the Executive Office to the concerned CHEDRO for issuance of the Government Authority to Operate the Dental Program. If not favorable, the higher education institution (HEI) shall be informed by the CHEDRO of the disapproval.

These new procedures shall apply to all HEIs including autonomous and deregulated higher education institutions. In the case of state universities and colleges (SUCs) and local universities and colleges (LUCs), the above procedures shall likewise be followed prior to action by the governing boards. The action of CHED shall be recommendatory to the governing boards.

This CMO shall take effect beginning School Year 2007-2008 and shall remain in force and effect until otherwise revoked or superseded.

Wide dissemination and strict implementation of this CMO is Hereby Ordered.

Pasig City, Philippines

(SGD.) CARLITO S. PUNO, DPA
Chairman
Commission on Higher Education

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 103, No. 26, p. 3987, June 25, 2007.