MDS

Master of Dental Science (M.D.S.)

It also stands for Master of Dental Surgery. It is a Master’s Degree course. Graduates who have completed BDS program can pursue this course. MDS course is generally two years long. The main aim of this course is to impart advanced dentistry knowledge and skills to dental graduates. MDS course allows candidates to specialise in different areas/sub-disciplines of dentistry.

M.D.S provides the following specializations:

• Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge
• Periodontology
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics
• Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics
• Oral Pathology and Microbiology
• Public Health Dentistry
• Paedodontics and Preventive Dentistry
• Oral Medicine and Radiology

Entrance exams

National level

• National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Master of Dental Surgery (NEET MDS)
• All India Post Graduate Dental Entance Exam (AIPGDEE)

University level

• Kerala University MDS Entrance Exam
• Manipal University MDS Entrance Exam
• Bharti Vidyapeeth Dental College and Hospital MDS Entrance Exam
• Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research

Best Institutes in India that offer MDS courses

• Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, New Delhi
• Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore
• All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi
• SDM College of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Dharwad
• AB Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore

Future Scope

Careers

After completing the M.D.S. program, interested students can pursue a Ph.D. in M.D.S. from top Ph.D. Dental science colleges in the same specialization as their Master's degree. They can also work in academic institutions. The M.D.S. holders will get opportunities to work in hospitals, nursing homes etc. and after few years of experience they can start their own dental clinics.

Salary

The basic salary of a dentist after MDS, fresher, is around Rs.25,000 to Rs.50,000 depending on the clinic or college they join. If you're employed in Gulf countries after MDS, then you'll be paid a minimum salary of Rs.2 lakhs per month. For this, you must have a minimum of three years’ experience after passing your post-graduation in dentistry and also clear the Ministry of Health exams.