CPUT dental students halt classes over training disruptions and accreditation issues
Dental tools on a desk as CPUT students shut down classes over training, funding and accreditation concerns.
Image: AI Generated
Students in the Dental Science Department at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology have halted academic activities, citing prolonged disruptions to practical training, concerns over facilities and uncertainty about professional accreditation.
The shutdown began on Monday, with classes and exams suspended. Student representatives say the protest will continue until at least 1 April or until their concerns are addressed.
Students allege the disruption stems from a relocation process that began in May 2025, when they were moved from the Tygerberg Hospital campus. They claim this resulted in extended periods without practical training.
“We are being taught a practical profession through a computer screen. You cannot learn dental work through theory alone,” a student representative said.
They further allege that a subsequent move to a general science laboratory at the Bellville campus was unsuitable for dental training, citing ventilation concerns, overcrowding and a lack of specialised equipment.
Students also claim access to clinical placements, including at the University of the Western Cape, has been limited, affecting their ability to complete required clinical hours.
Additional concerns raised by students include alleged inconsistencies in financial support and claims that some students have been unable to register for the 2026 academic year unless they pay a portion of outstanding fees.
They have also expressed concern about their ability to register professionally after graduation, citing ongoing issues involving the South African Dental Technicians Council.
In response, CPUT spokesperson Lauren Kansley said challenges related to professional registration date back to 2020.
“The initial stumbling block was experienced with the South African Dental Technicians Council in 2020. The SADTC previously refused to register graduated students, whereas previously this was done automatically upon completion of the qualification,” Kansley said.
“The SADTC has now imposed new rules that affect the university's ability to fulfil its mandated function: to teach, assess, and graduate students when they qualify. This has impacted many of our students who have graduated and have still not registered with the SADTC.”
She said interventions followed engagements with the Departments of Higher Education and Health, the Council on Higher Education, the SADTC and other universities of technology, and that the process is ongoing.
Addressing the relocation, Kansley said the university vacated its Tygerberg Hospital premises in June 2025 at the request of the Department of Health.
“CPUT immediately secured new premises which had to be completely repurposed for Dental Sciences training. These venues are now complete and await certification from various authorities such as the City of Cape Town, CHE, DHET, SADTC and HPCSA,” she said.
Kansley confirmed that during an October 2025 programme review, the SADTC found Bellville laboratories unsuitable for dental training and instructed the university to continue with theoretical work.
“It is important to note that CPUT has not lost accreditation for any of its programmes. We are accredited by the CHE. The SADTC is the professional body that endorses the programme for purposes of registration,” she said.
She added that the university is engaging with the professional body to resolve outstanding issues.
“Students will not be financially disadvantaged for the 2026 academic year. CPUT is covering accommodation, NSFAS monthly allowances, and book allowances. The qualification will be valid throughout, and no credits earned thus far will be lost,” Kansley said.
Students, however, maintain that the situation continues to affect their academic progress and future careers, and are calling for urgent intervention and clarity.