RABAT — Dental students at the Faculty of Dentistry in Casablanca have warned they may boycott hospital internships if authorities fail to address long-standing concerns over clinical training conditions before the start of the new academic year.
Nearly four months after organizing a large protest march in Casablanca on April 2, the students say their core demands remain unmet despite repeated discussions with officials. In a statement issued on Saturday, the Student Bureau accused the relevant authorities of failing to deliver concrete solutions to issues they describe as critical to the quality of dental education.
At the center of the dispute is what students describe as a shortage of hospital training placements. They argue that rising student enrollment has outpaced the capacity of existing clinical facilities, making it increasingly difficult to provide adequate supervision and hands-on training.
The students noted that authorities had previously acknowledged the need for a new dental medicine center to accommodate the growing number of trainees. However, they say the project has stalled due to unresolved land issues, raising concerns about the implementation of earlier commitments.
As an interim measure, the Student Bureau is calling for the immediate opening of a multidisciplinary and emergency dental unit, which it says has been structurally completed for several months but remains closed. According to the students, the facility was part of commitments made when a sixth year was added to the dental curriculum in 2019. They claim no information has been provided regarding its equipment or operational readiness.
The students also raised concerns over recurring shortages of medical supplies and teaching equipment at the Dental Consultation and Care Center of Ibn Rochd University Hospital in Casablanca. They argue that insufficient resources are undermining both the quality of clinical training and the care provided to patients.
While emphasizing their commitment to dialogue, the Student Bureau warned that it is prepared to intensify its protest through all legal means if no tangible progress is made before the academic year begins. Among the measures under consideration is a nationwide boycott of hospital internships across all affected departments.
The students said they would hold administrative and supervisory authorities responsible for any disruption to hospital training programs and dental services in which students participate.
By raising the prospect of a boycott ahead of the 2026–2027 academic year, the students are increasing pressure on public authorities to address what they describe as urgent shortcomings in clinical education, arguing that adequate facilities and equipment are essential to ensuring the quality of future dental professionals.
