I'm back here, with another editorial post...

About Dentistry

In this section, I’ll be discussing more about the Indian Scenario of the Dentists.

Like, everything has something like a Control or a Supreme Body; for Dental Science Studies the Supreme Body is The Dental Council of India [DCI]. As being the Supreme Body, DCI has got supreme commands of approving, declining, rebuffing and tyrannizing any Dental Science Study or Research Center. The DCI is financed by the Ministry of Family & Health Welfare; which is governed by the Central Government.

About the number of dental colleges, as of the year 2008, The Dental Council of India reveals 283 approved Colleges, out of which 36 are Government Dental Colleges and 247 Private Dental Colleges.

The numbers are astounding to figure out! 247 Private Dental Colleges.

This fact indicates about the status of the Dental Colleges (map-wise distorted in approx. all the regions) most in the regions of Southern and Western India. And, this further explains about the adoption of Dental Science Institutes as a mode of income. And it’s nothing like they provide all the amenities to a Dental Student with that; it’s just their way of vanishing the dreams of budding dental surgeons. Specifically, in and around the regions where I live, the condition of dental education is worst. I must repeat, WORST.

They have classified the colleges further down as
a. Recognized, and
b. Permitted.

Recognized are those, fulfilling all the requirements as per the DCI Norms.
Permitted are those colleges, which are allowed to run their institutes only under a declaration for providing all the requirements as soon as possible, to the students, failing to do so may help in excluding the college from the trust-worthy group of institutes. One thing to take care about, Permitted Colleges may loose their approval at any point of time during The DCI Inspection, if they fail to fulfill the requirements; inspections held twice or thrice in a session.

States have been known to give permission to start dental colleges to private organizations without approval being granted by the DCI or the central government. Students admitted in these colleges unknowingly risk their professional futures as their qualification might not be recognized, or only be recognized within the geographical boundaries of the state where the college is located.
So, if you ever go for admissions to any institute, check the Dental Council of India Website, whether they are Recognized or Permitted. Trust-worthy are the Recognized ones; so, better, prefer Recognized over Permitted ones.
The site is here – http://www.dciindia.org/

My Statistical Analysis reveals- 138 Recognized out of 283 Private/Government Dental Colleges. For the session – 2008-2009.

Me being a budding dentist, what is coveted is nothing else than just a feel of privileged member of this world. Privileged Member here refers not to have excess of the amenities, but in fact, at least get loaded with the uplifted technology used in the modern world of dentistry. In spite of being clued-up about the latest technologies, we are obligated to use the old traditional ways of treating. In spite of being provided with more of the opportunities to have the proper practical approach to any thing in our field, we are somehow restricted to use the limited resources. Why? Because, the Education System has just gone off the shaft of light; the societies running the institutes are more addicted towards the earning benefits regardless of improvising the system for the nation’s benefit.

Students in many private institutions are deprived of better clinical exposure thereby ill trained professionals prescribing and performing sub-standard treatments; and eventually degrading the standards of quality itself. Most of the private colleges have under-developed infrastructure, even offering poor quality education, and charging very high fees that can't be afforded by the middle class, let alone the poor.

Again, the continuous approach to make big money with this thing has consequently degraded the Quality of Education. In a state like Chhattisgarh, where there were 5 dudes already ruling the club, joined two more in the past two years. This fact also points towards the Government’s Policy of – Let the System go to hell!!! Government, just for the sake of revenues that they gain approving such proposals, must look forward to deny further proposals. They may not be aware, but they must note, to those whom the government has approved have backfired them. Recently in the newspapers, there was news about various Tax-Stealing Institutions, stealing millions.

CONCLUSION –
For modernizing and uplifting the quality of education more and more amenities shall be brought up to the buds; like,
1. Excess of resources - to work over.
2. Providing better practical approach - to train better.
3. Continual surveillance of each institute by the DCI - to administrate better.
4. Depletion of the communication barrier between the students and the Supremo of the Supreme Body - to be informed better.
5. Well-versed faculties with the knowledge of the modern evolutions & revolutions of dentistry in the world - to be in equivalency with those of the competitors.
6. And finally, last but not the least; greed decrement - to uplift the Quality of Education.

Since there are rapid improvements in the Socio-Economic Status of India, dentistry must endorse its proficient integrity by not compromising on its social duties, especially as they relate to professionalism, access, and dental education. If the profession instills proper ethical values in students, modeled by the institutions themselves, the future of dentistry in India will be a proud one. These words have got its place in the International Journal of Medical Ethics.

May be one day, we may be able to come up with the revolution in dental scenarios of INDIA. Well, the conclusion is not only regarding Indian Point of View; in fact, for any other developing and under-developed regions of the world as well.

Comments solicited. Quality Comments, most welcome...

Will be posting more, on “GETTING DEEPER TOWARDS DENTISTRY”