Last Updated on July 30, 2023 by Vishnu Nambiar
Hi readers! In this post, I’ve listed down some of the best dentistry courses available in India. Here, you will find the following details – names of prominent dentistry courses, their duration, eligibility criteria, scope, admission process and career prospects.
There exists different types of dentistry courses in India. Based on the course content, these programs can be broadly classified into the following types – paramedical dentistry courses and medical dentistry courses.
Paramedical dentistry courses are related to the allied healthcare sector. These training programs won’t help you become a dentist! After pursuing one such program, you will be able to don roles such as – dental assistant, dental hygienist, dental technician etc.
Medical dentistry programs will help you become a dentist. For example – after completing BDS course, you will be able to don the role of a dentist (and use the title of Doctor).
In short, the type of course, you choose will play an integral role in determining the path of your career. Dentistry courses can also be classified into different types on the basis of the course format.
Following are some of the prominent course formats available in India –
- Diploma
- Certification
- Bachelor’s Degree
- Master’s Degree
- PG Diploma
- PhD
Come, let us take a closer look at these courses. Let us start –
List of dentistry courses in India
First of all, we will deal with the medical courses. In the next section, you will find the list of dentistry (medical courses), their duration, eligibility criteria and more.
Dentistry (medical) courses
1 BDS
It stands for Bachelor of Dental Surgery. It is a Bachelor’s Degree course. Students who have passed 12th science with PCB subjects are eligible to pursue this course. BDS course is five years long. The academic program is four years long. Academic program is followed by an year long internship program.
After completing BDS course, graduates may don the title of dentist and Doctor. This is the minimum educational qualification required to become a Dentist in India.
2 MDS
It stands for Master of Dental Surgery. It is a Master’s Degree course. Graduates who have completed BDS program are eligible to pursue this course. MDS course is generally two years long.
Different types of MDS programs are available in India. The main aim of MDS course is to provide advanced dentistry knowledge and skills to dental graduates. MDS course allows candidates to specialize in different areas/sub-disciplines of dentistry.
3 PG Diploma programs
Apart from MDS, BDS graduates also have access to PG Diploma programs. These are PG (postgraduate) level programs. PG Diploma programs are usually one to two years long.
Like MDS, these programs too allow candidates to specialize in different areas/sub-disciplines of dentistry.
4 PG Certification programs
As the name suggests, these are PG level courses. On course completion, successful candidates will obtain a certification from the relevant authorities/certifying body. PG Certification programs are quite shorter (in duration) when compared to MDS and PGD programs. PG Certification programs usually last for a period of 6 to 12 months.
Let us check out the list of paramedical courses that are related to the field of dental care now. Here it is –
Relevant paramedical courses
The following courses are not dentistry (medical) courses. Technically, they are paramedical courses. But they are related to the field of dentistry. Yes, these paramedical courses are directly or indirectly related to the field of dental care.
This is the main reason why I’m listing them in this post. Here’s the list of some such popular courses –
- Diploma in Dental Hygienist
- Diploma in Dental Care Assistant
- Diploma in Dental Care Technician
- Diploma in Dental Mechanics
- Diploma in Dental Materials
- Certificate in Dental Assistant
- Certificate in Dental Hygienist
Diploma programs usually last for a period of 2-3 years. These courses can be pursued after completing 12th standard (with specific subjects). Certification programs can be six to twelve months long. These courses can be pursued after completing 10th or 12th standard. These programs are usually offered by Government and private paramedical colleges. Some healthcare institutes are also known to offer these programs.
Admission process
Reputed institutes rely on merit based admission process. Under this system of admission, seats are distributed among deserving candidates on the basis of their performance in relevant entrance exam. Such exams are conducted at College, State and National levels. Some colleges are also known to carry out donation based admission process.
Career prospects
The shape and path of your career depends upon the course you choose. For example, if you choose BDS course and follow it up with MDS or other PG (dental) program, you will be able to become a dentist.
You may also check – Medical entrance exams in India
Dentists are hired by dental clinics, care centers, hospitals etc. A dentist may even start his/her own dental clinic/care center/hospital.
If you pursue a paramedical course, you will be able to build an entry level career in the allied healthcare sector. After completing para dental programs, candidates will be able to work under qualified dentists.
I am Vishnu Nambiar a career and educational blogger from India. I am also a full time educational consultant having more than 12 years of experience in the educational sector.
I share articles related to courses, colleges, careers, exam tips and more here.