DCI pitches for three-year bridge course in MBBS for dental graduates

BDS may get a Bridge to Cross over Unemployment blues

New Delhi, July 4:  Unemployment has emerged as a ‘teething’ problem staring dentists in India.

Dental Council of India president Dr. Divyendu Majumdar is trying hard to mitigate their precarious lot. He has got DCI to come up with a ‘bridge’ course proposal. This proposal envisages a corridor for BDS (bachelor of dental surgery) graduates to cross over to MBBS category.

Talking to Meditoall editor in Chief Dhananjay Kumar on Thursday on the sidelines of a press conference, Mr. Majumdar said, ‘Dental Council has only mooted this idea. Soon I will try to make ‘bridge’ with Medical Council of India (MCI). Only after MCI approval, this bridge course idea can become a reality. I think a three year extra study will be enough to groom BDS as MBBS.’

The argument in favor of this course is this bridge course will solve twin problems. Firstly, BDS graduates will have an opening for employment and secondly, they would come handy in providing both medical and oral healthcare in rural areas.

Dr. Majumdar Further said, ‘If this proposal gets through, the gap in the medical professionals needed for rural areas will easily be plugged. BDS graduates who come out in good number every year are already trained in many aspects of treatment through their five-year course. With an additional three-year MBBS course, these graduates can meet the requirement of medical professionals in rural areas. The central government should also push this proposal forward.’

DCI is in the process of framing this bridge course. After passing it in the General Body, the proposal would be sent to the government. But there is apprehension Medical Council of India will oppose this ‘trespass’ tooth and nail.

Though oral health awareness, which should be most important for over all health, is still far from being satisfactory in the country, dental profession seems to have reached a stage of saturation. This is one of the concerns that are growing by the day.

Voicing the concern Dr. Majumdar said, ‘only 2 new colleges have been given permission and the seats have also been curtailed on a national basis. In post graduation (MDS), DCI has permitted 342 seats in various specialties in the existing dental colleges and reduced 107 MDS seats in the dental colleges in the interest of quality.’

BDS graduates have been facing unemployment blues for a pretty long time. Dr. Majumdar’s efforts for bridge course are likely to bring much needed relief to beleaguered BDS graduates in the country.

Approximately 25000 dental graduates come out every year but hardly 10 percent of them get honorable employment. Most of them have to work for a pittance. Government vacancies are few and far between. Recently only Bihar government has advertised vacancy for 578 posts of the dentists, that too after a gap of about over 25 years. No other sate has ever advertized vacancies for dentists on this scale.

This speaks poorly about nation’s concern for oral health.