BDS pass-out graduates in thousands cry for government jobs
Only 40 posts for Dental Graduates advertised by Health Deptt since 2012
BDS pass-out graduates in thousands cry for government jobs
Scope of Dentistry is bright, in rural area: Old-timer Dentist
Dental Graduates in India are getting worried about the future of Dentistry and jobs in the near future. No doubt, people are more aware now and more concerned about oral health and have come to know the importance of a good smile in looking beautiful or professional but with the mushrooming of Dental Colleges not only in the Punjab State but all over the India, the job opportunities as compared to the number of BDS pass-outs every year are too less and crying for jobs in the government.
With number of dental surgeons available in the market, the private chances are very remote except of those who have skill of providing the best treatment to the patients.
Sandeep Kaur, 2012 BDS pass-out is without any job and chances of minting money equivalent to the emoluments while in government service doing private practice are not bright. She is even ready to join government job with posting in rural areas provided extra honorarium is added to the perks.
Speaking to this correspondent, she said, there are around 14 private dental colleges in the Punjab state apart from two government colleges – at Patiala and Amritsar, the pass-out number of BDS are 8000-10000.
Surprising factor is that only 40 posts have been advertisement for whole of the state in past six years.
Dr.R.L.Taneja, a retired CMO associated with one of the private dental college said, it is a startling fact that a large number of seats in dental colleges of Punjab are lying vacant and there is decline in filling up of the posts in private dental colleges to the extent of 30-35% in the previous 2-3 years.
He however, opined that to adjust the pass-out BDS to some extent, the only solution is that the government should create the post of Dental Surgeon should be created at the level of Primary Health Centers or Community Health Centers which numbered around 150 in the state. The logic given for creation of additional posts was the adjoining states of Punjab – Haryana, Himachal, Rajasthan and UP – all have dental surgeons at the PHC and CHS levels.
On contacting local Dr.Nitin Bajaj, Dental Surgeon – who is doing a private practice – he said, “The position of non-adjustment of BDS qualified dental surgeons in government jobs is very alarming.”
Increase in number of BDS seats in private dental colleges to 100 against only 40 in government colleges, is the reason for creating this situation. It is very difficult for all pass-outs, which comes to around 27000-0000 on all India level, he added.
During the last two three years, “The ratio of boy-girl in BDS graduates admission is 70:30 and the idea behind joining the BDS course by the girls in higher numbers – whose parents can afford to educate them – is only to get a good matrimonial match, he further added.
When asked about trying hand in private practice by providing the dental treatment at the cheaper rates, another Dr.Alok Batra was of the view that initial investment for setting up the clinic with modern infrastructure, the doctor has to charge hefty fees to recoup the investment. More-over, the numbers of patients visiting the dental clinics are much less than the patients visiting the other specialists.
An old-timer Dentist – Dr.Yash Khunger – said Dentists are mainly seen in urban population and when we go to the rural places, the ratio of Dentist to population is very worrying rather we hardly see in the remote villages.
The future of Dentistry is going to be bright in rural India because of the huge number of Dental Graduates passing out every year. The ratio of Dentists to India will be constant as the rapid increase in population is equal to the increase in the number of Dental graduates in India, he added.
Dr.Khunger also shared that career after BDS is only MDS or private practice and because of fewer opportunities for the Dentists, as of now, certain BDS graduates are shifting to some other streams after passing out.
