Smile please!

Updated on: Tuesday, March 24, 2009

A smile forms a very important part of your overall personality. But to flash that dazzling smile, you need perfect teeth, and if you don’t get them from god, then your prosthodontist is the next best option! While there are nine dental specialities, prosthodontics is an emerging career option that deals with the replacement of missing teeth and related mouth or jaw structures by bridges, dentures, or other artificial devices. Cosmetic dentistry, implants and joint problems and maxillofacial prosthesis (artificial ear, nose, eye, orbit, etc) all are clubbed under prosthodontics. The specialty is one of implant, aesthetic and reconstructive dentistry.

Says Dr. Farhan Shah, a successful prosthodontist and a senior lecturer in the Dept of Prosthodontics, Institute of Dental Studies and Technologies, Modinagar, “The very idea that you can re-habilitate someone and give them a new look, smile and function is enthralling. It is a highly satisfying as well as lucrative profession — one that is concerned with the health problems afflicting the mouth, teeth, gums and other hard and soft tissues of the oral cavity.” Dr. Shah says that the increasing awareness of the importance of oral health and the introduction of new fields like periodontics (care of gums and the diseases that might afflict them), oral pathology (diagnosis for diseases that affect the mouth) and orthodontics (straightening and aligning teeth and jaws) have all enhanced the scope of prosthodontics.

And with dental tourism on the rise, dentistry has tremendous scope apart from the fact that it is a highly satisfying and lucrative profession. There are many colleges that offer a BDS to candidates who have passed the 10+2 Board examination with physics, chemistry and biology. In fact, a lot of private colleges have started tying up with foreign institutions, for instance the Royal College of Surgeons, Glasgow, UK now holds its exams at the SDM College of Dental Sciences Dharwad, which is considered one of the best in South East Asia.

The BDS degree programme is a four year course divided into four parts each of a years duration followed by a year of rotating internship. Those who have completed the BDS are registered to practice dentistry by the Dental Council of India. Besides this, other courses in dentistry include the Dental Hygienist Certificate course, Dental Mechanic Certificate course and the Diploma course in Dental Assistance. Having done a BDS, one is then eligible to sit for the MDS.

For more information visit : www.deccanchronicle.com/supplementary/education1

Smile please!

More Education news