MDS: Course Fees, Admission 2025, Syllabus, Top Colleges, Career Scope

An MDS degree is a postgraduate Dental course. It gives specialised knowledge and training to students in order to assist them to acquire advanced clinical skills, critical thinking, and research abilities. The Master of Dental Surgery programme will equip students for specialised oral health care and procedures.

MDS, or Master of Dental Surgery, is a medical speciality that focuses solely on the mouth, jaw, dental region, and other facial areas. It focuses on oral and dental hygiene, anatomy, issues, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation. The course is designed to provide an in-depth understanding of detailed themes connected to oral and dental health and cleanliness. MDS is a three-year programme. 

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Students who complete MDS courses obtain decent careers. MDS salaries range from INR 4 Lakhs and INR 8 Lakhs each year. Students who complete the MDS programme can work in the following fields:

• Dental Departments of Hospitals

• Dental Clinics

• Academic Institutions

• Pharmaceutical Research Centres for Oral care products

• Private Dental Clinics

Candidates with an MDS degree will never lack job opportunities. MDS is one of the Medical degrees and is in high demand, and is recruiting in renowned organizations including Fortis Healthcare, Apollo Hospitals, Dental Clinics, ICMR, AIIMS, Health Centers, etc. MDS graduates earn a good amount of salary in India. People often suffer from various oral problems, and come to an oral specialist. The average salary of an MDS graduate is INR 5,00,000.

No, MDS is not same as MBBS.

The main difference between the MBBS and MD is that applicants who want to pursue a career in medicine enrol in the MBBS, which is an undergraduate programme. On the other hand, those who have finished their MBBS might pursue the postgraduate degree of MD.

The primary distinction between the MBBS and MD is that the MBBS is an undergraduate study pursued by applicants who desire to pursue a profession in medicine. MD, on the other hand, is a postgraduate course that applicants who have completed their MBBS can pursue.

A minimum age of 20 is required for the candidate. Candidates must possess a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree from a college or university that has received DCI accreditation. He or she must be a permanent or temporary member of either the State Dental Council (SDC) or the Dental Council of India (DCI).

National Eligibility Requirements NEET MDS, or Entrance Test for Masters of Dentistry Surgery, is an entrance test administered by NBE for admission to all postgraduate dentistry programmes offered by universities in India.

For admission to MDS at AIIMS Delhi, there is no age limit that a student needs to meet to be eligible for the exam. The only minimum requirement for admission to MDS is as follows:

• A pass in MBBS/ BDS degree from a recognised institute
• Candidates must have completed 12 months of internship on or before July 31 of the year of admission

The selection process for MDS is simple you need to apply for undergraduate medical counseling through your NEET mark.The NEET MDS cutoff 2025 score for general category students is 261, while for SC/ ST/ OBC category aspirants, the cutoff is 227.

Candidates seeking admission to the MDS course should meet the minimum requirements that is given below:

• Candidates must have completed their BDS graduation from a dental college recognised by the Dental Council of India (DCI).
• Candidates must have obtained a minimum of 55% in all BDS subjects.
• Candidates must complete their BDS internship before enrolling in the MDS course.

Candidates must take the following dental entrance exams to be eligible for MDS admission:

NEET MDS: NEET MDS is a national-level entrance test conducted by the National Board of Examinations (NBE) for admission to Masters in Dental Sciences (MDS). The exam is scheduled for May 2024.

INI CET: INI CET, or Institutes of National Importance Combined Entrance Test, is a test that one must take to become eligible for admission into premier institutes or institutes of national importance in India. These institutes play a vital role in creating highly skilled individuals, which in turn contribute to the nation's development. INI CET is required for admission into several colleges across various fields. Registration for the January session of INI CET began on September 15, 2023, and ended on October 5. The exam will be conducted on November 5 in computer-based mode.

NEET PG: NEET PG is a national-level entrance exam for postgraduate studies conducted by the National Board of Examinations (NBE). The exam is typically held in the first week of March.

Refer to the table below for their exam dates:

NEET MDS stands for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Masters of Dental Surgery. The exam is conducted for providing admissions to all the postgraduate dental courses offered by the institutions in India. The exam is conducted by National Board of Education (NBE) in computer-based mode. NBE holds the exam annually for allotment of around 6200 MDS seats under 50% All India Quota and 50% state quota. After the exam, MCC conducts online counselling for allotment of seats. Only those who qualify the exam with minimum cut off marks qualify for the counselling rounds.

Read more: MDS Admission 

Yes, you can join MDS colleges without appearing for NEET MDS. You can appear for the below-mentioned entrance exams to get accepted into MDS Colleges in India:

• INI CET: INI CET is an abbreviation for Institutes of National Importance Combined Entrance Test. The title INI is granted by the Act of Parliament of India to premier institutes or institutes of national importance. These institutions play a crucial role in creating highly skilled individuals, which in turn helps in the development of the nation directly or indirectly. Several colleges in various fields are conferred with this prestigious title, and to get admission into these institutes, one must appear for INI CET to become eligible. The registration for the INI CET January session began on September 15, 2023, and concluded on October 5. The INI CET exam will be held on November 5 in computer-based mode.
• NEET PG: NEET PG is a national-level PG entrance exam conducted by the NBE(National Board of Examinations). The exams are usually conducted in the first week of March.

Given below is the schedule for NEET PG and INI CET:

 Below mentioned are some of the colleges accepting NEET PG and INI CET:

The greatest MDS course is Oral Medicine and Radiology. This course covers patient history taking, clinical examination, diagnosis, investigations, radiographic evaluation, and medical management of oral cavity abnormalities.

The specialisation of Diagnosis & Radiology focuses on the diagnosis and medical management of disorders of the Head and Neck. It is a unique dental speciality that integrates Oral Medicine and Craniofacial Radiology. It acts as a link between dentistry and medicine, assisting in the early detection of numerous systemic disorders with oral signs. In such cases, an Oral Medicine, Diagnosis, and Radiology Specialist can determine whether investigations or tests are required to confirm the diagnosis. The majority of the disorders treated by this specialist are chronic diseases, which have a substantial psychological and physical impact on a patient's quality of life. 

Following your BDS, earning a Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) degree can provide you with a more in-depth understanding of the field. It is the highest educational degree in the field of dentistry and will help you find a job as a dentist at a reputable institution.

Students with an MDS degree are qualified for a variety of professions in public and commercial hospitals. There are employment openings in the research industry for those who want to focus on developing solutions for dental ailments. Dentist, Dental Hygienist, Clinical Research Scientist, General Practitioner, Lecturer, and more popular career job profiles. These job positions pay between INR 3,00,000 and INR 12,00,000 LPA. Salary is heavily influenced by the candidate's experience, expertise, and talents.

MDS is a postgraduate course that will propel you to the top of your academic career. MDS can work as a staff member at any college. Not that a BDS cannot join, but there are no promotions and the starting income is lower. However, for an MDS, there is regular advancement and a greater starting wage.

The BDS programme is India's sole certified professional dental undergraduate course, lasting five years. Simultaneously, MDS is a master's degree that graduates in Dental Science can obtain after completing their undergraduate study.

After finishing MDS, dentists have many job and study options to grow their skills and career:

• Clinical Practice: Many MDS doctors work in clinics or open their own dental clinic.

• Academia and Research: Some go to teach or do research. Doing PhD can give more chances in teaching and research.

• More Learning and Certificates: MDS doctors can do workshops, classes, and conferences to learn new things and get extra certificates.

Yes, Please refer to the table below for affordable MDS colleges in India in North side along with their tuition fees and accepted entrance exam:

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from official website and may vary.

Given below are some of the best MDS Colleges in Uttar Pradesh:

Below mentioned are some of the Best MDS Colleges in Delhi/NCR:

For more information around MDS colleges in top states of India, click here.

There are approximately 30+ Government MDS colleges in India and given below is the list of those Colleges with their tuition fees and eligibility/entrance exams if any:

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from official website and may vary.

The level-wise annual salary after completing MDS can vary based on several factors, including the specialisation chosen, the location of practice, years of experience, and the type of employment. Different dental specialities may command different salary levels. It's important to note that the figures provided here are general estimates and may vary:

• Entry-Level: INR 4 - 10 LPA

• Mid-Level: INR 10 - 15 LPA

• Senior-Level: INR 15 - 30 LPA

A dentist with MDS in India can earn different money depending on place, experience, specialization, and type of job (government, private, or corporate).

• Entry-Level: INR 30,000 - 50,000 per month

• Mid-Level: INR 50,000 - 1 Lakh per month

• Senior-Level: INR 1 - 3 LPA per month

BDS is a 5 years UG dental course. You learn both theory and practical in many dental subjects like teeth anatomy, body stuff, biochemistry, disease, microbes, and clinical dentistry.

MDS is a 3 years PG dental course. You study more in one special area, do research, and practice on patients.

No, MDS graduates can’t be called doctor. Usually, only people with PhD, MD, or other big doctor degree can be called doctor.

MDS is master degree, so they not usually called doctor unless they also have PhD or another doctor degree.

Admission to the MDS course in India typically requires clearing the NEET MDS entrance exam. Without appearing for NEET MDS, getting admission into a recognised or top dental college is not possible.

In some rare cases, private colleges may offer seats through management quotas. But, even after that, qualifying NEET MDS with minimum marks is mandatory as per government regulations.

If you really like dentistry, MDS is good to do. It give better paying jobs, chance to teach, and run special dental clinic.

MDS can cost a lot, but later you can earn more, grow in career, and have good name. So it smart to do, especially in good college.

The main way to get MDS in India is by NEET MDS exam. You need good marks and high rank for the specialty you want.

Some colleges also see your BDS marks, internships, and interviews. Reservation and state quota can also decide who get the seat.

NEET MDS exam is online on computer. You go to exam center and answer multiple-choice questions on computer.

It test all BDS subjects. Online way is faster and more clear than old offline exam.

If you really like dentistry and want to be expert in one special area, you should do MDS. If you like working with patients, clinical work, and research, you will do well.

Students with good hand skills and careful attention

People who want to study special areas like Orthodontics, Prosthodontics, etc.

Students who like teaching or dental research

If you really like dentistry and want to study more after BDS, MDS can be good for you. Think about your future jobs and love for dental work.

• You like figuring out hard dental problems.

• You ready to spend 3 more years to learn special things.

• You want job with more money and teaching chances.

The MDS course not only sharpens dental knowledge but also builds leadership and critical thinking skills. Here's what you develop:

• Advanced clinical and surgical skills.

• Research, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

• Communication, teamwork, and patient management abilities.

Before deciding, check if you really like dental specialization. Doing volunteer work, internships, and talking to MDS students can help.

• Follow MDS dentists in internships.

• Go to dental seminars or workshops to see special dental work.

• Think why you want MDS: is it your own interest or pressure from others?