Dr Damisetty explained that the battle against quackery in dermatology is not about professional turf wars but about patient safety, public health, and upholding medical ethics.
Published May 15, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated May 15, 2025 | 7:50 AM
Dr Rajetha Damisetty.
Synopsis: Dr Rajetha Damisetty, in a YouTube interview, allegedly mocked the dental profession, including claims that “dentists are not doctors”, which she later clarified and apologised for. Across multiple social media platforms, she has faced trolling, personal attacks, and even sexually charged and misogynistic comments. She said that the online harassment is a backlash against her efforts to expose unethical practices.
Dr Rajetha Damisetty, a prominent dermatologist in Telangana, has been at the forefront of the fight against quackery in cosmetic dermatology.
As chairperson of the Anti-Quackery Cell of the Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists, and Leprologists (IADVL), she has repeatedly raised concerns about the growing number of unqualified individuals, ranging from beauticians to dentists and holders of unrecognised degrees, offering complex skin and hair procedures.
She has linked this rise in unauthorised practice to an increase in serious complications, including burns, scars, nerve damage, and even disfigurement.
Dr Damisetty has drawn attention to cases where individuals with minimal or irrelevant training have taken on roles as cosmetic clinic managers. She has also warned against the misuse of topical steroids by untrained hands, which can lead to permanent skin damage.
However, her activism recently became the centre of controversy following remarks made during a YouTube interview with fitness influencer Purnima. In a short video clip widely circulated on social media, the two were seen allegedly mocking the dental profession, including claims that “dentists are not doctors”.
The clip triggered widespread outrage from the dental community, with the All India Dental Students and Surgeons Association (AIDSA) issuing a formal condemnation.
In a strongly worded letter, AIDSA accused Dr Damisetty and Purnima of making defamatory and derogatory remarks that undermined the dignity of the dental profession. The association also called on the Telangana State Dental Council to take disciplinary action and announced plans to file a police complaint.
Amid growing pressure, both Dr Damisetty and Purnima issued a public apology, respectively. Dr Damisetty expressed “unconditional” regret for the offence caused.
She clarified that the viral clip had been cherry-picked from a longer 55-minute interview intended to raise awareness about quackery, not demean dentists.
“Dentists have always been known as dental surgeons and dental doctors,” she said, adding that the clip had since been removed from YouTube.
Despite her public apology, Dr Damisetty now finds herself at the centre of a new storm: A barrage of online abuse. What began as professional criticism over a viral video clip has spiralled into targeted harassment.
Across multiple social media platforms, she has faced trolling, personal attacks, and even sexually charged and misogynistic comments. Many of the abusive posts, she said, come from accounts with no clear links to the dental professions.
“The attacks aren’t just about my remarks — they’re about my personal life, my character, and my work. Some are calling my career a scam,” Dr Damisetty told South First. “There’s a clear misogynistic tone to it. If I were a man, I doubt I’d face this level of vitriol. And interestingly, many of those trolling me claim to be practising dentists — some even seem to be involved in cosmetic procedures themselves.”
She also highlighted that a YouTuber had published a video labelling her work a scam, despite her credentials.
“I’m an MBBS graduate from JIPMER, with an MD in dermatology from Madras Medical College, and I lead the anti-quackery cell of IADVL, which has over 18,000 members nationwide,” she said.
Abuses Dr Rajetha received on the social media platform.
Dr Damisetty contended that her remarks were taken out of context, with a 27-second clip selectively extracted from a 55-minute interview and circulated with mala fide intent.
“This was a deliberate attempt by individuals with vested interests to hijack the narrative and provoke outrage among the dental community,” she said. According to her, the backlash is being driven by a subset of dentists who perform skin and hair treatments without proper qualifications and feel threatened by her advocacy against quackery.
“The goal of these inflammatory posts isn’t just to target me—it’s to sow discord between two respected medical communities and mislead the public, all to shield ongoing unregulated practices,” she said.
Dr Damisetty alleged that some of the most abusive comments have come from BDS graduates engaged in cosmetic procedures, and even from MDS professionals who train them, reinforcing her belief that the online harassment is a backlash against her efforts to expose unethical practices.
In the judgement of Poonam Verma vs Ashwin Patel (AIR 1996 SC 2111), the Supreme Court noted that a person who does not have knowledge of a particular system of medicine but practices in that system is a quack. “A mere pretender to medical knowledge, or to put it differently, a charlatan,” the apex court said.
Dr Damisetty explained that the battle against quackery in dermatology is not about professional turf wars but about patient safety, public health, and upholding medical ethics.
“One of the most dangerous consequences of unqualified practice is the misuse of topical steroids, especially in the treatment of fungal infections. Rampant overuse has contributed to an epidemic of drug-resistant tinea across India, posing a serious threat of antimicrobial resistance,” she said.
Even common concerns like acne, pigmentation, or hair loss can be early markers of internal diseases such as lupus, diabetes, or tuberculosis.
“It is difficult even for an MBBS doctor to differentiate between acne and cutaneous TB at times,” Dr Damisetty said. “To expect someone without a medical degree — regardless of how skilled they are in other systems of medicine or dentistry — to make accurate dermatological diagnoses is both unrealistic and illegal.”
She added that allowing unqualified individuals to perform cosmetic procedures leads to misdiagnosis, emotional trauma, financial exploitation, and loss of faith in the healthcare system. Most importantly, she said, it enables the unchecked spread of misinformation.
According to the National Medical Commission Act, 2023, the treatment of skin, hair, and nail conditions falls exclusively under the domain of qualified dermatologists, venereologists, and leprologists.
Furthermore, multiple State Dental Councils have explicitly barred dentists from performing aesthetic procedures, except for those holding an MDS in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, as per a notice dated 6 December 2022 from the Dental Council of India (DCI).
This exception, however, is now being legally challenged in two high courts by dermatology associations and remains sub judice.
“Importantly, degrees like cosmetology, clinical cosmetology, or medical cosmetology are not recognised by either the NMC or the DCI in India, underlining the legal vacuum that quacks often exploit,” she pointed out.
Dr Damisetty has initiated a series of legal and institutional actions in response to the online harassment and defamation she has faced. She has submitted a formal representation to Cyberabad Commissioner of Police Avinash Mohanty and filed a complaint at Raidurgam Police Station, requesting the registration of an FIR against those trolling her.
In addition, she has replied to a legal notice sent by 11 dental practitioners, including both BDS and MDS doctors. She has also issued a legal notice to a YouTuber who uploaded a defamatory video targeting her work and reputation.
Dr Damisetty has made a formal representation to the Telangana State Medical Council regarding the coordinated abuse she has received online.
She has also filed a complaint with the Dental Council of Telangana, urging the cancellation of registrations of those dental professionals who engaged in verbal bullying, defamation, body shaming, and character assassination.
“These steps are not just for my own protection, but to send a strong message that targeted abuse, especially towards female professionals, will not be tolerated,” she said.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
