Dentistry is indeed a field that offers a wide range of opportunities for those with a degree in the subject. While it is true that dentists can have successful and financially rewarding careers, it is important to note that success and wealth are not guaranteed solely by obtaining a degree in dentistry. Several factors contribute to a dentist's professional success, including skill, experience, business acumen, and dedication to patient care.

The modern-day basic dental programme and its various specialities and subspecialties have been designed to ensure that doctors can safely and effectively deliver a comprehensive range of primary and advanced dental care to the wider population. Over the last few years, dental science has seen a rapid advancement in the way diseases are diagnosed and treated.

Diploma:

The Diploma in Dental Mechanics is a comprehensive program that focuses on diagnosing and addressing dental issues faced by patients. To pursue this diploma, individuals must meet the basic eligibility criteria, which require completion of the 10th grade or an equivalent course from a recognized educational board. This qualification serves as a stepping stone towards a rewarding career in the field of dental healthcare.

Diploma in Dental Hygienists is a study of deep dental techniques such as oral healthcare which includes scaling, polishing, cleaning, taking radiographs, placements of fissure sealants and many others. They also advise patients on how to take care of their oral healthcare.

Diploma in Dental Operating Room is a study of oral healthcare. Dental Operating Room Assistant is mainly a support role. The person helps a dentist with his/her job such as setting up tables/chairs, cleaning dental equipment, and also in getting medicines.

UG Courses:

The bachelor's degree in dentistry, called Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS), is for five years. This includes four years of classroom studies and one year of compulsory internship. To be eligible for BDS admission, one must have passed 12th standard or equivalent in Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English with 50% marks for general category students and 40% for reserved category students. Students must have completed 17 years on or before December 31 of the year of admission.

After completing your 12th standard or 10+2 or equivalent, you'll have to attempt the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG), the only entrance test for admissions to all BDS colleges in Bangalore. The test is very competitive as lakhs of students appear for the few thousand BDS seats.

PG Courses:

The second step toward specialising in one or more of dental specialities is to get a postgraduate degree called Master of Dental Surgery (MDS). All admissions to MDS programmes are based on the marks scored in NEET-PG. Studying MDS, at times, can get tough. Most colleges in India today offer all or some of the nine MDS specialisations approved and regulated by the Dental Council of India (DCI).

MDS Specialisations

Master of Dental Surgery in Orthodontics (Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopaedics in some colleges/universities) is a three-year postgraduate speciality programme that trains a dentist to diagnose, prevent, and or correct malocclusion and other abnormalities of the oral structures.

Master of Dental Surgery in Prosthodontics (Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge in some colleges/universities) is a postgraduate programme that focuses on oral prostheses. In short, the surgeon uses a prosthesis to fix missing teeth or parts of teeth or parts of the jaw or palate.

Master of Dental Surgery in Conservative and Endodontics is a specialised field in dentistry that deals with treating infections and diseases of the dental pulp. They also deal with caries, malformed, discoloured, non-aesthetic or fractured teeth of both young and adult patients.

Master of Dental Surgery in Pedodontics (Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry in some colleges) is a three-year postgraduate programme that focuses on comprehensive oral care and hygiene of children.

Master of Dental Surgery in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery are trained to surgically intervene to treat issues of the face, mouth, and jaws. It's a complex surgical field and often interfaces with other medical super specialities like plastic surgery, otolaryngology, and neurosurgery.

Master of Dental Surgery in Periodontics (Periodontology in some colleges) is a speciality of dentistry where specialists diagnose and treat diseases and disorders of supporting structures of teeth like gums, alveolar bone, cementum, and periodontal ligament.

Master of Dental Surgery in Community Dentistry is a three-year programme that deals with promoting oral health and hygiene in the community with or without the involvement of government and private organisations.

Master of Dental Surgery in Oral Pathology is a three-year postgraduate programme that deals with diagnosing and treating diseases that affect the oral region. They also study the immune system to understand the root cause of the disease and treat based on what the pathological investigations say.

Master of Dental Surgery in Oral Medicine and Radiology deals with detecting and treating oral diseases. Do the specialists also factor in the patient's history, diagnosis, investigations, radiographic evidence of the oral region to arrive at a treatment.

Eligibility Criteria:

Doctor of Medicine in Dravyaguna is the ayurvedic equivalent of pharmacology and pharmacognosy in modern pharmaceuticals. This three-year programme includes studies in pharmacognosy, clinical pharmacology and standardisation of medicinal plants, related acts and regulations.