The dental sector is emerging as one of the significant healthcare branches in recent years with a remarkable global market value of USD 36.08 billion by 2022. As per statistics, around 79% of the global population has acquired dental health awareness and this has resulted in increased demand for dentists.
As the demand for dentists is widening, it is expanding the career pool for dental professionals with a BDS degree or more from the top BDS colleges in India.
This article presents you with the best career opportunities that await BDS graduates in the dental industry. Read more to know more.
| TABLE OF CONTENTS:
● Course Highlights – Bachelor of Dental Surgery ● Top BDS colleges in India ● Career market after BDS degree in the dental industry ● Higher Education Scope after BDS ● Conclusion ● FAQs |
Course Highlights – Bachelor of Dental Surgery:
In India about 28,031 students have opted for a Bachelor of Dental Surgery in top dental colleges such as Mansarovar Dental College, one of the best BDS colleges in India and other colleges.
Here are the course details:
| Course Name | Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) |
| Course Description | BDS is a dental degree course that educates dental medical practices, procedures, techniques, and much more which are to be applied in treating dental ailments and maintaining dental hygiene.
This course inculcates a strong dental healthcare foundation in students for better patient service in the future. |
| Level | Undergraduate level |
| Duration | 5 years
4 years + 1 year of compulsory rotatory internship. |
| Mode | Semester mode |
| Eligibility Criteria | The basic eligibility criteria to pursue BDS at top colleges such as Mansarovar Dental College, the best dental college in Bhopal and others are as follows:
● Candidates’ age should be a minimum of 17 years of age. ● Candidates should have completed 10+2 with physics, chemistry, and biology as compulsory subjects. ● Candidates should have a minimum of 50% aggregate in 10+2 |
| Admission Procedure | Admission to the BDS course is based on the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) score. |
| Average Course Fee | INR 1-6 Lakhs per annum |
Top BDS colleges in India:
Owing to the increasing requirement for dental healthcare, India is focused on providing notable dental education and hence has almost 420 dental institutions.
Here are some of the top BDS colleges among them:
| Top BDS colleges in India | Average Course Fee |
| Mansarovar Dental College | INR 1.98 LPA |
| Faculty of Dental Sciences, IMS BHU | Below INR 1 LPA |
| Government Dental College and Hospital, Mumbai | INR 2-2.5 LPA |
| Government Dental College and Hospital, Nagpur | INR 2-2.5 LPA |
| Maharashtra University of Health Sciences | INR 3.2 LPA |
| Gujarat University | INR 40,000 PA |
Career market after BDS degree in the dental industry:
The global dental industry is stupendously developing and is expected to grow further reaching a market value of USD 65.23 billion by 2030 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 7.4% during the forecast period. This rapid development of the industry surely demands skilled dental professionals, thus opening the career ground for BDS graduates from top dental colleges such as Mansarovar Dental College, the leading BDS college in Bhopal and other colleges.
As per the World Health Organisation, a 1:7500 dentist-population ratio is mandatory for proper dental health maintenance. But, India has a dentist-population ratio of 1: 10,271 which falls even below 1:1,15,ooo people in rural areas. This fall calls for more dentists, thus significantly prioritising career opportunities for BDS graduates.
Career options after BDS degree in India:
Let us explore some of the prominent career options that are available in the dental industry after BDS degree from top BDS colleges in India:
| BDS Job Roles | Average Salary in India |
| Dentist | INR 4 LPA |
| Dental Surgeon | INR 5 LPA |
| Oral Pathologist | INR 4 LPA |
| Dental Health Consultant | INR 4.2 LPA |
| Dental Hygienist | INR 3 .75 LPA |
| Medical Writer | INR 4.8 LPA |
| Lecturer | INR 8 LPA |
BDS graduates are hired in both public and private healthcare establishments for the above job roles. In public healthcare establishments such as ICMR Delhi, OPSC Orissa, etc., BDS graduates from top BDS colleges in India are hired with a better salary scale of INR 8 LPA to INR 10 LPA.
Foreign job opportunities after BDS degree:
The demand for skilled dentists is higher in foreign countries such as the USA, UK, Mexico, Germany, Japan, and many more as they concentrate majorly on dental health, hygiene and beauty.
Take a look at the different job roles that are available for BDS graduates abroad with their average salary.
| BDS job roles | Average salary abroad |
| Oral Surgeon | USD 248,833 |
| Dentist | USD 141,635 |
| Dental Hygienist | USD 61,873 |
| Dental Office Manager | USD 52,295 |
| Dental Laboratory Technician | USD 51, 256 |
| Dental Assistant | USD 35,769 |
Higher Education Scope after BDS:
Students can also enhance their career profile in dentistry after BDS by taking up higher education options. Postgraduate dental courses gather in-depth specialisation in particular dental facets.
Here are some of the prominent postgraduate dental specialisations offered under MDS (Master of Dental Surgery):
- Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge
- Periodontology
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
- Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics
- Orthodontics
- Oral Pathology and Microbiology
- Public Health Dentistry
- Paedodontics and Preventive Dentistry
- Oral Medicine and Radiology
On the whole, there are notable career options and higher education options plated for BDS graduates from the top BDS colleges in India. Pursuing BDS offers a tremendous opportunity to establish one’s career in the healthcare industry which is a dream for most of the science stream students.
Conclusion:
As dental awareness has taken its play in recent years, it has created a great career pool for skilled dentists with BDS degrees from the top BDS colleges in India. It is high time to take up BDS and enjoy a remarkable career in the dental industry. Hope this article helped you get a clearer view of the various career options available after a BDS degree.
FAQs:
1. Is BDS equivalent to MBBS?
By the level of degree, both BDS and MBBS are undergraduates. But, BDS deals with dentistry exclusively while MBBS deals with general medicine.
2. Is BDS possible without NEET?
No, BDS is not possible without NEET because as per the norms of the Medical Council of India NEET passing score is mandatory for admission to BDS in any dental college in India.
3. What is the average salary scale of BDS doctors?
The average salary scale of BDS doctors ranges from INR 3 LPA to INR 5 LPA at the entry-level. The average pay increases with increasing years of experience.
4. Why do people choose BDS?
There are multiple reasons for people choosing BDS such as:
- A career in the healthcare industry
- An opportunity to serve society
- Secure career agenda
