Review of the BDS Course for NEET Aspirants

Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) is an undergraduate degree in Dental Medicine/Dentistry. Dentistry, a branch of Modern Medicine, deals with oral health problems and hygiene such as mouth cancer, bad breath, disfigured teeth, cavities, lichen planus, leukoplakia, etc. The BDS course, regulated by the Dental Council of India (DCI), spans 4.5 to 5 years, including a 6-month to 1-year internship.

Admission Process for BDS

Admission into BDS requires the NEET exam. Based on the marks and ranks obtained in NEET, seats are allotted in colleges by MCC and State DME’s. The total number of BDS seats, including private and government, is around 27,000 to 28,000. The cut-off marks for AIQ are around 555 to 580 for the General Category in Government Colleges, and for State Quota, it’s around 550 to 430 for the General Category in Government Colleges.

Fee Structure for BDS

The fee structure varies based on the type of college. For Government Dental Colleges, the fee ranges from 20,000 to 50,000 per year, totaling around 80k to 200k. The stipend salary of BDS interns in Government Dental Colleges ranges from 7k to 18k per month for 6 months. For Private Dental Colleges, the total fee is around 25 lakhs to 50 lakhs for 4.5 years, excluding hostel fees. However, BDS interns in Private colleges do not receive a stipend salary.

Job Prospects after BDS

Job prospects after BDS can be divided into two categories: ideal job prospects and realistically available jobs.

Ideal Job Prospects

After BDS, you can pursue various roles such as General Dental Clinician/Practitioner, Researcher at ICMR, Cosmetic Dental Surgeon, Forensic Dentistry, State Government Dental Surgeon, Dental Officers in Railways, Army Dental Corps, Lecturer, Coaching Institute Teacher, MBA, MPH (Masters in Public Health), and MDS (Masters in Dental Surgery).

Realistically Available Jobs

Realistically, only 4-5 options are left, all of which have cut-throat competition. These include UPSC or any government job exam, Private Dental Practice, changing your stream to MBA, and pursuing MDS.

Setting up a private clinic requires around 5 lakh to 30 lakh of investment, and the return is zero to minimum possible. Only 1% of new dental clinics flourish, while the rest disappear into oblivion.

MDS (Masters of Dental Surgery) is a 3-year long postgraduate course that you can get into by giving the NEET-MDS exam. In Government colleges, the stipend salary of MDS students varies from 34k to 100k per month after the 7th pay commission. You can pursue MDS in either Clinical Branches (Endodontics, Orthodontics, Oral Surgery, Periodontics, Prosthodontics) or Non-Clinical Branches (Oral Pathology, Oral Medicine and Radiology, Public Health Dentistry). However, only clinical branches will give you a slight chance to land a livable salary job at any hospital. Non-clinical branches are essentially worthless.

Conclusion:

In India, pursuing dentistry from private colleges can be a challenging path. A Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) may not be the best option for everyone, as it could lead to a difficult journey for the next 15 to 20 years. Consider choosing BDS only if you have access to a Government Dental College, substantial financial support, and strong skills.

If you have the capability, consider preparing for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams. On average, government jobs open up about 50 positions for BDS graduates over a span of 5 years.

The salary range for professors in colleges varies. In government colleges, it ranges from 50k to 120k, but this level of income is usually achieved after 20 years of service. In private colleges, the salary range is typically between 10k to 20k.

Clearing the NEET-MDS and joining the Army Dental Corps is another option, although it’s worth noting that many applicants are often rejected. Alternatively, you could pursue an MDS in clinical branches and anticipate a job offering a salary of 30k-40k.

This situation is unlikely to change in the next 30 years. In the future, if Ayurvedic Doctors are permitted to perform dental procedures, the scenario could become even more challenging.

Pursuing a BSc, followed by an MSc and a PhD, could potentially offer more job opportunities. Another viable option could be to retake the NEET-UG and aim for admission into an MBBS course, given the current state of the Dental Council of India (DCI).

Good luck to all NEET aspirants. Learn from the experiences of others and make informed decisions. Don’t be swayed by the opinions of others without doing your own research.