Brazil court annuls dental orofacial harmonization rule

The 8th Panel of the Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region (TRF-1) has annulled a resolution from the Federal Council of Dentistry (CFO) that recognized orofacial harmonization as a dental specialty. The decision, reached by majority vote, invalidates Resolution No. 198/2019, which authorized dentists to perform various aesthetic facial procedures.

The annulled regulation allowed for techniques including the use of botulinum toxin, facial fillers, intradermotherapy, collagen-inducing biomaterials, laser therapy, facial lipoplasty, bichectomy, and surgical techniques for lip correction. The ruling follows appeals from the Federal Council of Medicine (CFM) and the Brazilian Society of Dermatology (SBD), who argued that the CFO exceeded its legal authority by expanding the scope of dentistry to include invasive aesthetic procedures across the entire face.

Federal Judge Maura Moraes Tayer stated that the existing legislation governing dentistry does not authorize such an expansion through administrative resolutions. The CFO has announced its intention to appeal the decision, noting that the rule will only lose validity after the official publication of the court's ruling. The council maintains that dentists do not need to cease their current activities in the field during this process.