TRF‑1 Rules Dental Council’s Facial Harmonization Resolution Illegal

Overview

• The 8th Panel of the Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region voted 3–2 on Wednesday to declare Resolução nº 198/2019 illegal and ordered the rule to lose effect when the court’s acórdão is published.
• The 2019 CFO resolution had recognized harmonização orofacial as an odontological specialty and listed procedures such as botulinum toxin, facial fillers, intradermotherapy, laser therapy, bichectomy, facial lipoplasty and surgical lip techniques.
• The appeal that led to the ruling was filed by the Conselho Federal de Medicina, the Sociedade Brasileira de Dermatologia and other medical bodies, which argued the CFO exceeded its regulatory power and that federal law, not council resolutions, defines professional scope.
• The Conselho Federal de Odontologia said it will appeal and advised dentists to continue performing procedures only within legally recognized limits, leaving short‑term legal uncertainty over enforcement and who may lawfully perform invasive facial procedures.
• The decision clarifies a legal principle about councils’ powers and could prompt further appeals to higher courts or legislative action to set clear limits and training requirements for practitioners and to protect patient safety.