- Standard
- NABH Dental Healthcare Service Providers (DHSP) Standards, 3rd Edition (released 9 May 2023)
- Who can apply
- Dental clinics, dental hospitals and dental teaching institutes — Section A (with or without in-patient beds) and Section B (up to 15 chairs)
- NABH fees (1–3 chairs)
- ₹5,000 application + ₹15,000 per year, plus 18% GST
- Cycle
- 4 years; surveillance 21–24 months after accreditation
- 2nd Edition
- No fresh or renewal applications accepted after 31 December 2023
Two routes for dental practices
| Entry-level dental clinic certification | DHSP accreditation (3rd Edition) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | OPD dental clinics with up to 8 chairs | Clinics, dental hospitals, teaching institutes |
| Validity | 2 years | 4 years, surveillance at 21–24 months |
| NABH fees (smallest band) | ₹1,000 + ₹10,000 for 2 years | ₹5,000 + ₹15,000 a year |
| Best for | A first, affordable step | Multi-specialty practices, dental hospitals, colleges |
Fees exclude 18% GST. The entry-level dental certification has its own page. This page covers full DHSP accreditation.
The DHSP 3rd Edition
NABH released the 3rd Edition DHSP standards and guidebook on 9 May 2023. Assessments under it began on 1 September 2023, and after 31 December 2023 NABH accepted no fresh or renewal applications under the 2nd Edition. New accreditations under the 3rd Edition run on a four-year cycle, with a surveillance assessment 21 to 24 months after accreditation. Pre-assessment is optional.
The standard is organised in two sections: Section A for dental healthcare service providers with or without in-patient beds and Section B for those with up to 15 dental chairs.
What NABH assessors check in a dental facility
From our implementation work in multi-department dental settings — oral medicine, oral surgery, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, orthodontics, pedodontics and oral pathology — these areas decide the result:
- Sterilisation and instrument reprocessing — a one-way dirty-to-clean workflow, autoclave validation with chemical and biological indicators, packaging, dating and traceability of instrument sets to patients.
- Infection control — hand hygiene, PPE, surface disinfection between patients, dental unit waterline management, impressions disinfection before sending to the lab.
- Radiation safety — AERB registration of intraoral X-ray, OPG and CBCT units, protective aprons and thyroid collars, dosimetry where required.
- Patient rights and consent — treatment-specific consent for extractions, surgery, implants, sedation and orthodontic treatment; estimates explained before treatment.
- Clinical records — history including medical conditions and medications, charting, treatment plans, procedure notes and follow-up.
- Medication and emergency safety — local anaesthetic stock control, emergency drug kit, oxygen, staff trained in basic life support.
- Biomedical waste — segregation of sharps, extracted teeth, amalgam and contaminated waste as per the rules, with an agreement with an authorised treatment facility.
- People and quality — credentials of dentists and assistants, training records, quality indicators and patient feedback.
NABH fees for DHSP accreditation
| Facility | Application fee | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 chairs | ₹5,000 | ₹15,000 |
| 4–10 chairs | ₹15,000 | ₹40,000 |
| 11–15 chairs | ₹20,000 | ₹60,000 |
| Larger, without in-patients | ₹30,000 | ₹1,00,000 |
| Larger, with in-patients | ₹40,000 | ₹1,50,000 |
Plus 18% GST; virtual assessment ₹2,000, focus assessment ₹15,000, certificate re-issue ₹6,000. NABH's fee table predates the 3rd Edition, so we confirm the band that applies to you.
Why dental practices pursue NABH
Patients increasingly ask how instruments are sterilised; NABH answers that question for you. Accreditation also supports empanelment with CGHS and ECHS, which accept dental clinics, and with insurers and corporate clients. Dental accreditation is one of our two core specialities — read our NABH guide for dental clinics.
Frequently asked questions
Can a dental clinic get NABH accreditation?
Yes. Dental clinics, dental hospitals and dental teaching institutes can be accredited under NABH's Dental Healthcare Service Providers (DHSP) 3rd Edition standards. Clinics with up to 8 chairs can also choose the simpler NABH entry-level dental clinic certification.
What is the NABH fee for a dental clinic?
For DHSP accreditation NABH lists ₹5,000 application and ₹15,000 a year for 1–3 chairs, ₹15,000 and ₹40,000 for 4–10 chairs, and ₹20,000 and ₹60,000 for 11–15 chairs, plus 18% GST. Larger facilities pay ₹30,000 and ₹1,00,000 without in-patients or ₹40,000 and ₹1,50,000 with in-patients.
When did the NABH dental 3rd Edition come into force?
NABH released the DHSP 3rd Edition standards and guidebook on 9 May 2023, began assessing against them from 1 September 2023 and stopped accepting fresh or renewal applications under the 2nd Edition after 31 December 2023.
How long is NABH dental accreditation valid?
The DHSP 3rd Edition accreditation cycle is four years, with a surveillance assessment between 21 and 24 months after accreditation is granted.
Do dental clinics need AERB approval for NABH?
Dental X-ray, OPG and CBCT units must be registered with AERB through its eLORA portal, and NABH assessors check radiation safety compliance. We include AERB registration in our licence audit for every dental project.
Official sources
Fees and rules change. Always confirm on the official page before you apply.
Get a free gap assessment for your facility
Tell us your facility type, bed or chair count and city. Dr. Ashutosh Sharma will tell you which NABH programme fits, what it will cost and how long it will realistically take — before you commit to anything.
Related
- Dental Clinic Sterilisation and Infection Control for NABH (DHSP 3rd Edition)What NABH's dental DHSP 3rd Edition standards require for infection control and sterilisation: 13 Core elements, autoclave tests, hand hygiene and waste.
- Entry-level dental clinics (up to 8 chairs)NABH entry-level certification for dental clinics with up to 8 chairs: 2-year fees of ₹1,000 + ₹10,000–₹14,000, process and a preparation checklist.
- AERB licence (X-ray, CT, dental X-ray)AERB approvals for X-ray, dental X-ray, CT and interventional radiology via eLORA: registration vs licence, steps and what NABH checks.
- CGHS empanelmentCGHS empanelment via NABH's ECE portal: eligibility, 50/30 bed minimums, lab and imaging rules, NABH fees, the 2025 rate revision and how we help.
- NABH Accreditation for Dental Clinics: Entry-Level vs DHSP 3rd Edition (2026)How dental clinics get NABH: entry-level (up to 8 chairs) vs DHSP 3rd Edition, fees, sterilisation checklist, AERB and timelines.