The Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Nigeria (UNN), Ituku-Ozalla campus, Enugu, has issued an urgent appeal for N38 million in funding ahead of a scheduled accreditation exercise by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
The request comes as more than 300 undergraduate dental students at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) face possible expulsion, following revelations that the institution admitted students beyond its approved quota.
In a letter signed by dean of the UNN faculty, Prof. Linda Oge Okoye, the institution warned that without immediate upgrades to critical clinical and infrastructural facilities, it risks falling short of MDCN standards.
“This is a decisive moment for the future of dental education and healthcare delivery in our region,” the letter reads.
According to the breakdown provided by the faculty, the funds will be used to purchase essential teaching and clinical equipment including phantom heads, compressors, air conditioners, prosthetic lab tables, and a community outreach bus. A total of ten items are listed as “must-do” for the 2025 MDCN re-accreditation exercise.
The faculty, which serves as the only functional dental training institution in Nigeria’s South-East, currently admits only 15 students annually due to space and equipment limitations. The proposed upgrade would enable it to increase capacity to at least 60 students, the letter said.
UNICAL Controversy Casts National Spotlight On Dental Education
The UNN appeal comes amid growing national concern following a controversy at the University of Calabar, where hundreds of dental students some in their fourth and fifth year are reportedly at risk of being withdrawn from the programme.
The issue stems from claims that the university exceeded the MDCN-approved admission quota. Affected students say they were recently summoned for a meeting regarding “non-regular admissions” without prior notice or clarity.
One student, tweeting under the handle @SteveOsh2, wrote: “I’ve passed all exams, written 3 MBs, and now in my fifth year. They told us facilities would come before we graduate. Now they’re asking us to transfer. Seven years wasted.”
Another student, @xavage1919, lamented: “I’ve passed two professional exams, only to be told my future has been shattered by the same institution meant to protect it.”
Some students allege that staff members warned them against speaking to the press. The university has yet to issue an official statement, and efforts to reach Vice-Chancellor Florence Obi and the school’s PRO were unsuccessful.
Education experts warn that the UNICAL situation underscores broader concerns about regulatory compliance, poor infrastructure, and overstretched resources in Nigerian medical and allied health programmes.
UNN’s proactive appeal appears aimed at avoiding a similar fate.
“We are not the ones who approved the quota,” said one UNICAL student who spoke under anonymity. “Why should we suffer for the institution’s mistake?”
With only a handful of accredited dental faculties nationwide and limited capacity to absorb transfers, stakeholders say urgent investments in existing programmes are needed to prevent a systemic crisis.
UNN has provided donation details via Dentistry Multipurpose, First Bank, Account Number: 2046515654.
The MDCN accreditation visit is scheduled for July 2025.