Top Dental Colleges in India 2022

India has been recognised as one of the top destinations to get that charming smile at a fraction of cost compared to other locations in the world. Dental degrees Iindia are recognised by the Dental Council of India (DCI) and are offered in various specialisations, including Prosthodontics, Orthodontics, Periodontology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Oral Pathology, Oral Medicine and Radiology, Public Health, Endodontics, Microbiology, Radiology & Imaging Science, etc. 

Dental professionals deal with the diseases related to tooth, jaw and other facial tissues, dental science revolves around maintaining oral health. It also includes surgeries such as dental implants, artificial replacements, treating jaw and gum-related diseases and surgeries, correcting misaligned/dispositioned teeth and jaw, treating dental tissues, facial diseases diagnosis and surgeries and also, cosmetic treatments. Dental professionals perform computer and magnetic resonance imaging, implants, tissue grafts, trauma and laser surgery. Some of the popular specialisations offered in Dental colleges in India are:

• Prosthodontics
• Orthodontics
• Periodontology
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Oral Pathology
• Oral Medicine and Radiology
• Public Health
• Endodontics
• Microbiology
• Radiology & Imaging Science 

A Dental professional must possess qualities like ability to work in a critical and dynamic environment, dedication towards professional commitment and medical ethics, desire for knowledge and learning new research, scientific research and development skills, sharp memory and prompt approach, communication and interpersonal, counselling and caring, problem-solving, approachable and empathetic, medical writing, patience and perseverance. 

India is home to some of the top-rated colleges/ universities to pursue Dental courses. These include Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Science (Delhi), Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (Chennai), A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences (Mangalore), Manipal College of Dental Sciences (Mangalore), Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Chennai), Nair Hospital Dental College (Mumbai), J.S.S. Dental College and Hospital, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research (Mysore), M. S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences - MSRUAS (Bangalore), Siksha 'O' Anusandhan University - SOA (Bhubaneswar), Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham Coimbatore, etc.

There are over 300 Dental colleges in India that offer courses in full-time, part-time and distance-learning mode of study. These colleges provide degree, diploma and certificate courses. Out of these the top 20 Dental colleges in India ranked by NIRF offer degree courses in a full-time mode of study.

The top-rated Dental colleges in India offer different types of courses. Nearly 280 colleges offer MDS , 200 offer BDS , 32 offer UG Diploma and 30 offer Certificate course.

Dental Courses Admission Eligibility Criteria

Dental courses can be pursued at UG, PG and PhD levels. The eligibility criteria differ as per the course selected by the candidate. However, given below is a broad eligibility criteria for UG, PG and PhD Dental courses:

UG level: Candidates must have passed Class 12 with Physics, Biology and Chemistry and secured at least 50% aggregate score from a recognised board. The course is of five years duration.

PG level: Candidates must have BDS degree from a dental college/institute recognised by the Dental Council India. Candidates must have completed their internship for BDS before taking admission in MDS course. Some dental colleges mention minimum marks in the qualifying degree examination for admissions to MDS course, such as 55% aggregate of all subjects in BDS course. The course is of five years duration.

PhD level: Candidates must have passed postgraduation in the relevant stream from a recognised university.

Diploma and Certificate Programmes:

• The eligibility criteria for diploma courses may vary from course to course.
• Candidates can apply for Aesthetic Dentistry, Dental Hygienist and other such courses after passing Class 10
• Courses like Dental Ceramic Technology require candidates to pass Class 12 with the minimum required marks
• Candidates need to pass Class 12 to apply for certificate courses

Apart from merit-based admission, the Dental colleges in India conduct entrance exams for admission to dental courses like NEET, NEET MDS, etc.

Although there are plenty of Dental colleges in India there a few top ones that have been listed by NIRF.

Following is a list of top 10 Dental colleges in India ranked NIRF under the Dental category:

College	NIRF'20 Ranking
Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Science, Delhi	1
Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Udupi	2
Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune	3
Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai	4
A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore	5
Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore	6
Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai	7
Nair Hospital Dental College, Mumbai	8
J.S.S. Dental College and Hospital, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Mysore	10
MSRUAS, Bangalore	11

Following is a list of top 10 Dental colleges in India ranked by India Today under the Dental category:

College	India Today'20 Ranking
Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Science, Delhi	1
King George's Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow	2
Post-Graduate Institute of Dental Science, Rohtak	3
Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU, Varanasi	4
Manipal College of Dental Science, Manipal	5
Nair Hospital Dental College, Mumbai	6
Government Dental College and Hospital, Mumbai	7
Dr. R. Ahmed Dental College and Hospital, Kolkata	8
Government Dental College and Hospital, Nagpur	9
Christian Medical College & Hospital Ludhiana	10

Here is the list of some of the top private and public Dental colleges in India:

Private Colleges	Course Fee (in Rs)
Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai	-
A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore	5,06,500
Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore	5,16,000
Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai	24,00,000
J.S.S. Dental College and Hospital, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Mysore	60,000

 

Public Colleges	Course Fee (in Rs lakh)
Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Science, Delhi	-
Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences, (DMIMSU), Wardha	-
Christian Medical College & Hospital Ludhiana	17.50
Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), Delhi	-

Refer to the infographics below to get a detailed overview of the top 9 cities/states of Dental colleges in India:

 

Note: Y-axis refers to the number of colleges in the above graphs.

Career Scope for Dental Students

The scope of dental field has enhanced due to the increasing awareness of oral health and the introduction of new fields such as oral pathology, periodontics and orthodontics. The top employers/recruiters of dental degree holders are majorly Hospitals, Medical Research Centres, and Pharmaceuticals. Dental professionals can also practice from their own clinic after getting a practising license from the medical association. A few job types at hand for dental students or dental degree holders comprise :

• Dental Surgeon
• Dental Assistant
• Oral Pathologist
• Ceramist
• Dental Hygienist
• Consultant
• Dental Lab Technician
• Forensics
• Medical Representative
• Private Practitioner
• Professors
• Public Health Specialist
• Sales Representative

Graduates from below top 3 Dental colleges in India can bag a median salary of less than Rs 1 LPA:

• Christian Medical College & Hospital Ludhiana
• Army College of Dental Sciences, Secunderabad
• Nair Hospital Dental College, Mumbai

Graduates from below top 9 Dental colleges in India can bag a median salary of Rs 1-5 LPA:

• B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore
• College of Dental Sciences, Davanagere
• KLE Vishwanath Katti Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum
• Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai
• Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore
• MSRUAS, Bangalore
• Government College of Dentistry, Indore
• SOA, Bhubaneswar
• DMIMSU, Wardha

Graduates from below top 2 Dental colleges in India can bag a median salary of more than Rs 10 LPA:

• JMI, Delhi
• Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Science, Delhi

Refer to the infographic below to get a detailed overview of the median salary for Dental colleges in India:

Note: Y-axis refers to the number of colleges in the above graph.

Top Recruiters for Dental Students

After completing Dental courses, candidates get several placement opportunities. The placement drives are conducted by the colleges. The colleges provide opportunities to enhance the student’s knowledge and gain real-time experience.

Below is the list of few top companies in India that recruit Dental students along with their placement ratings:

Colleges	Placement Ratings (Based on Reviews)	Top Recruiters
Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU, Varanasi	4.8	PGI Chandigarh, AIIMS USMLE, RML-Delhi
Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Science, Delhi	4.6	Ottobock, Endolite
KGMU, Lucknow	4.6	AIIMS MAMC, KGMU
Christian Medical College & Hospital, Ludhiana	4.2	AIIMS, Apollo, JIPMER, CMC
MSRUAS, Bangalore	3.6	Apollo Munich, HCG Hospitals

How affordable is studying Dental Courses in India?

Based on the below pie chart, it can be estimated that pursuing Dental courses in India is expensive as approximately 43% of the colleges have course/annual fees that ranges from Rs 1-10 lakh. Some of these colleges are:

• Army College of Dental Sciences, Secunderabad
• B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore
• Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore

Approximately 29% of Dental colleges have a fee structure of more than Rs 20 lakh. Some of these colleges are

• MSRUAS, Bangalore
• Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai

Approximately 14% of Dental colleges have a fee structure that ranges from Rs 10-20 lakh. Some of these colleges are

• Christian Medical College & Hospital Ludhiana

Approximately 14% of Dental colleges have a fee structure of less than Rs 1 lakh. Some of these colleges are

• S.S. Dental College and Hospital, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Mysore

Refer to the infographic below to get a detailed overview of the break-up of Dental Colleges in India basis fees: