Maharashtra: 11 campuses to have new dental colleges

Mumbai:Premises of eleven medical colleges are under consideration for new dental institutions in the state . After having established the last government dental college and hospital three and a half decades ago, the state government is planning this mammoth infrastructural and academic development once again.

Medical colleges in Ambejogai, Nanded, Pune Yavatmal, Latur, Dhule, Kolhapur, Chandrapur, Miraj, Akola,and Gondia are under consideration for these upcoming new dental institutions. Each dentistry college is likely to be sanctioned 100 seats.These facilities may have an intake of 1,200 seats for the Bachelors in Dentistry (BDS) course.

"The plan, which is at the primary stage, includes starting dental colleges in government medical colleges. In the first phase, we are planning to cover BJ Medical College in Pune, Chandrapur Medical College and the Jalgaon medical hub," said an official to DNA. An investment of Rs. 125 crore over a span of five years would be required for each of these set ups to come up.

The Greenfield medical hub at Jalgaon is also being considered for a dental college, which will also offer courses in medicine, dentistry, ayurveda, homeopathy, nursing and paramedics.

Of the 38 dental institutions being run in Maharashtra, three are run by the state government and one by the Brihan mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The four mentioned being with the public sector and the rest are a part of deemed universities and private unaided institutions.

These 38 dental colleges have 3,500 seats for BDS. However, the government and civic-run institution's intake is a mere 260. This includes 100 seats in the Government Dental College and Hospital in Mumbai, 60 at the BMC-run Nair Hospital dental college and 50 each at Nagpur and Aurangabad . Post-graduate seats number at 300 in Maharashtra .

The Dental Council of India(DCI), norms make it essential for new dental colleges to be housed in close proximity with the Government Medical Colleges. This is necessary to facilitate training of students in medicine and surgery ,an official stated.

These colleges are commissioned to come up in phases; with one each being established initially in the six revenue divisions, informed Dr Mansingh Pawar, Dean, Government Dental College and Hospital, Mumbai. He is also a member of the DCI.

Two important revelations made by the DMER and the health department officials was the oversupply of dentists in metros, as few professionals chose to work in rural areas and more vacant seats in private dental institutions, as compared to government colleges. This is so as students prefer medicine over dentistry at private colleges.

It is believed that Public sector dental hospitals are likely to reduce pressures on existing government-run institutions. An example is that of the Government Dental College and Hospital, Mumbai, which handles a footfall of around 2,000 patients every day.