In order to ensure absolute health and hygiene, dentistry or dental care is utterly necessary. Physicians who perform dentistry are named as dentists. In carrying out treatment and surgeries, dentists get assistance from a number of people like dental hygienists, dental assistants, dental therapists, and dental technicians. All of them collectively offer oral healthcare facilities and services.
In India, the undergraduate level dentistry courses are offered in the form of a Bachelor of Dental Surgery or BDS course. The duration of this study program is normally five years. This duration consists of four years of learning and 12 months of internship which is mandatory for the students. As laid down by statistics in the year 2010, India housed 291 dental colleges of which 252 are run by private bodies and 39 are operated by the public agencies.
In majority of the states in India (other than the states of Andhra Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir), the CBSE (Central Board for Secondary Education) holds a countrywide exam for filling up about 15% of the seats in the dental colleges that are managed by the states.
A post graduate degree or master's degree in dentistry (MDS) has a duration of three years. Moreover, this degree gives the students the opportunity to study in a particular area of expertise.
Dentists in India have great job opportunities in dental divisions of nursing homes, hospitals, clinics and healthcare divisions of the government. They can also teach as professors, lecturers, and associate professors in dental colleges. In addition, they can work as researchers in the pharmaceutical industry and other sectors manufacturing oral hygiene products and drugs such as mouthwash, toothpaste, and gum care products.
Given below is a list of the dentistry entrance exams in India:
