Health Ministry Recognizes IGGDC Jammu, Allots 14 MDS Seats

JAMMU, Feb 1: In a major achievement, Indira Gandhi Government Dental College (IGGDC) Jammu has been granted recognition for 14 MDS seats in seven specialties by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which issued a notification in this regard recently.

The recognition has been granted for 2 seats each in the Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Periodontology, Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge, Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Pediatric & Preventive Dentistry as well as Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology and Oral Microbiology.

The IGGDC Jammu was established in the year 2004 and within 16 years of its establishment, the MDS courses were commenced here in the year 2020 on the persistent demand of the under graduate students studying in the College. Presently, there are nine specialties in the Institution and out of that seven specialties have been allowed for MDS while efforts are underway to get permission to start MDS courses in rest two specialties.

In last 3-4 years, Dental Council of India (DCI) visited a number of times in IGGDC Jammu and inspected all infrastructure, human resources, machinery and equipment, which is required for a recognized MDS Institution. As all the shortcomings were removed by IGGDC Jammu, the DCI after its last visit recommended the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to grant recognition to the Institution for MDS courses.

“This is indeed a big achievement for the Institute. It will give an opportunity to lot of meritorious and deserving BDS candidates of J&K and other parts of country to pursue their post graduation course in dentistry in IGGDC Jammu with a few thousand rupees while for the same degree, they have to pay in lakhs in private dental colleges,” said Dr Rakesh Krishan Gupta, Principal and Dean of the Institution.

He said that the commencement of MDS course in the Institution caters to the need of the dental fraternity in the Union Territory of J&K and extends benefits of their service for the public/humanity. He further added that the recognition of MDS courses will also help in improving the academics and patient health care in the Institution.