BDS stands for Bachelor of Dental Surgery. BDS Course is one of the most desired medical course after MBBS. Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery is the first preference for the student in the medical field. MBBS is the most popular undergraduate medical program in India.
There are more than 300 private and government dental colleges in India with around 26949 BDS seats across India.
There are 535 medical colleges in India which are recognized by the Medical Council of India. These medical schools have the capacity to provide medical education for 79148 students.
Introduction
BDS is an undergraduate dental course, mainly for the student who wants to become a professional dentist in any government or private hospital. The curriculum of BDS is regulated by the Dental Council of India. In order to get into the BDS course, it is mandatory for the student to appear and qualify for the NEET entrance exam. BDS is the approved and recognized professional dental course in India.
Basically, the registration of the NEET exam starts in the month of December.
Duration of BDS course
Bachelor of Dental Surgery is a 4-year academic duration and one year of mandatory internship is required in this UG degree program.
Eligibility Criteria
Academic qualification
The basic eligibility criteria are to pass the class with a cognized board. It is needed a minimum of 50% in Science PCM (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology) stream. Biology should be the Compulsory subject in order to pursue the BDS course. The appearing students are also eligible for this course.
Age Limit
For BDS course minimum 17 years and maximum 25 years is required.
Admission Process
- Admission into the BDS course will be done on the basis of a good score in the NEET Entrance Exam.
- On clearing the NEET entrance exam, students have to participate in the counseling process organized by the respective authority.
- The seat will be allotted to a few candidates on the basis of good marks in the entrance exams.
NEET Entrance Exam
National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test is one of the toughest medical entrance exams in India. NEET is the national level entrance exam that is conducted by NTA (National Testing Agency). There is an age restriction to the candidate who wants to appear in the exam.
Candidate should pass class 12th with biology as a mandatory subject. And a minimum of 50% to the general and 45% to the reserved category is needed in order to appear for the NEET exam.
NEET exam is conducted in many languages in India. The candidate can select any language from the given below.
| Hindi | English | Urdu |
| Tamil | Telugu | Marathi |
| Kannada | Gujarati | Bengali |
| Assamese | Oriya | – |
NEET Exam Pattern Highlight
| Exam | NEET (National Eligibility Cum Entrance Exam) |
| Level | National Level Entrance Exam |
| Mode | Offline(pen or paper-based) |
| Types of Questions | MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions) |
| Total Sections | 3 Sections(Physics, Chemistry, Biology) |
| Duration | 180minutes |
| Negative Marking | -1 for the wrong answer, 0 marks for unattempted question |
| Total Question | 180 |
| Total Marks | 720 |
| Marking Scheme | +4 for a correct answer |
Top Colleges for BDS course
- Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Science, New Delhi
- Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore
- NIMS Unversity, Jaipur
- SDM College of Dental Sciences & Hospital, Dharwad
- Government Dental College and hospital, Mumbai
- King George’s Medical University, Lucknow
- AB Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore
- Dr. R. Amed Dental College & Hospital, Kolkata
- Kalinga Institute of Dental Sciences, Bhubaneswar
- Maharaja Ganga Singh Dental College & Research Centre, Ganganagar
- Army College of Dental Sciences, Secunderabad
- Anil Neeru Konda Educational Society, Vishakhapatnam
Course Fee
As you know, every institute has its own terms and condition. And, have different facilities that are provided by different universities. So the tuition fee for the BDS course ranges from Rs 15,000 to 12,00,000.
Syllabus
| YEAR I | YEAR II |
|---|---|
| General Anatomy | Dental Material |
| Embryology & Histology | General Pharmacology and Therapeutics |
| General Human Physiology | Pre-Clinical Prosthodontics & Crown and Bridge |
| Dental Anatomy & Embryology | Dental Pharmacology and Therapeutics |
| Oral Histology | General Pathology and Microbiology |
| General Biochemistry | Pre-Clinical Conservative Dentistry |
| YEAR III | YEAR IV |
|---|---|
| Oral Pathology | Oral Medicine |
| Oral Microbiology | Radiology |
| General Medicine | Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics |
| General Surgery | Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics |
| – | Prosthodontics and Crown and bridge |
| – | Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry |
| – | Periodontology |
| – | Public Health Dentistry |
Job Prospects and Career Options
After the completion of the BDS course, the dental graduates are entitled to use the term doctor before his her name as the prefix “Dr“.
There are plenty of jobs and opportunities for higher study after getting a BDS degree. A student may do a PG degree course with the same domain or can do an undergraduate or postgraduate diploma.
MDS is the most preferable by the student after the BDS course. MDS is an advanced degree in the dentistry field and allows the candidates to specialize in any of its disciplines.
On completion of the BDS course, you get licensed and you will have the option to join private and government hospitals. You can even open your own clinic.
Teaching career is also open for BDS graduates. Students who are interested in teaching can acquire teaching jobs in any of the dental college.
Higher Education after BDS
- MDS Master of Dental Surgery
- Master in Health Administration
- MPH (Master of Public Health)
- MBA in Hospitality Management
- MBA in Healthcare Management
Specialization after BDS Course
- Oral Medicine & Radiology
- Periodontics & Preventive Dentistry
- Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
- Public Health Dentistry
- Oral Pathology & Microbiology
- Periodontology
- Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics
- Prosthodontics, Crown & Bridge
- Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics
Job Profile
There are various posts with different specializations in this course. Let’s see the job profile that is offered after the BDS course.
- Dentist in a Hospital
- Dental Surgeon
- Oral and Maxillofacial Pathologist
- Oral Surgeon
- Pedodontics
- Periodontics
- Prosthodontics
- Researcher
- Lecturer
- Territorial Army Officer
- Researcher
- Dentist in Indian Railways
Government Job
- Territorial Officer in Indian Army/Navy and Airforce
- Dentist in Railways
- Dental Officer in Indian Navy & Indian Airforce
- State Government jobs as a Dental Surgeon
Employment Area
- Dental Clinics
- Hospitals
- Educational Institutes
- Pharmaceutical Companies
- Dental Products Manufactures
Salary for BDS course
Freshers can expect a salary from Rs. 15,000 per month depending upon the type of jobs and hospitals or dental clinics. After Pursuing MDS the chances of earning a better salary that can range from 4 to 6 lakh per annum. In the mandatory internship, you may get some stipend.
