Coimbatore: A proposal to start a government dental college has been sent to the state government by the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) on its campus at Avinashi Road. The reason for sending the proposal is cited as availability of land for the project on campus and the need for dentists to look after the state government run dental care project.

Currently, there are 21 government colleges, and 6 alternate government medical colleges but only 1 dental college in the state. With an intake of 100 students every year, the dental college was started in 1953. Students wanting to do dental courses, in the paucity of government dental institutions have to turn to Private dental colleges. These institutions come at an exorbitant price of 1 lac to 3 lac under the merit/management quota.

Students have to pay Rs.1500 to Rs.1700 every semester for plaster of paris and teeth in the second and third year and if books and other materials are included the expense shoots upto Rs 60,000 every year revealed a private medical college student.

Students are often found delaying pursuing clinical courses like orthodontics, endodontics and periodontics as the fee for these in private institutions is Rs.3 lac to 3.5 lac.

Keeping this scenario of expenses in private dental institutions CMCH Dean, Dr. Edwin Joe forwarded the proposal for a second Government run dental college for the state. "We have 65 acres of land on Avinashi Road and only 35 acres are in use. So, we have enough space for another college building," Joe said.

"I have asked for a building and equipment for an intake of 100 students so that we can recruit them for the state government's dental care programme. We also have many patients and beds and hence the students will get hands-on experience. Patients will also benefit from this," he added.