I Institute of Dental Sciences (IDS), Bhubaneswar, apart from training dentists and dental surgeons over the years has been giving relief and bringing smiles to the faces of hundreds of patients every day. Established in 2006 with a mission to bridge the gap between the number of dentists and the rising population, the institute began with just 50 students and now has twice the number.
With IDS being affiliated to the Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan University (SoA), Bhubaneswar, students are selected from all over the country through the University’s common admission entrance test. Offering Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS), Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) (in seven branches) and PhD programmes, the institute is among only 13 universities in the country to be accredited with an ‘A’ by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council. It was also voted the 11th best dental college among NAAC-accredited institutes in India.
“Oral health has gained considerable importance, as its relationship with general health cannot be ignored. But awareness is still dismal in our region. Hence, there is a need for trained dental surgeons having latest information in the field of dentistry. We are an institution committed to excellence in teaching and research,” says Prof Manojranjan Nayak, Founder-President, IDS.
Located at Kalinganagar in Ghatikia, Bhubaneswar, the campus is spread over seven acres. Boasting of faculty pooled from reputed institutes across the country, the institute has 58 teachers in MDS and 20 in BDS, with nine specialists who make time to not only engage in their practice but also teach the students.
The institute has 113 research papers published in various journals. The students and faculty have attended more than 400 national conferences and 11 international conferences. So far, IDS has organised 39 workshops/symposiums. IDS encourages the all-round development of students through co-curricular activities.
The fee structure for BDS is Rs 3.25 lakh per annum for a period of four years along with one year of paid internship. For the MDS course, the fee is Rs 7.5 lakh per annum for a three-year duration.
Students completing their course here have found placements in various hospitals throughout the country. An added advantage of IDS is the clinical exposure that students receive, as the institute is attached to the Institute of Medical Sciences and Sum Hospital (the medical school of the Siksha O Anusandhan University), one of the finest hospitals of the State.
IDS offers 19 seats in PG. The PG departments include Orthodontics, Prosthodontics, Periodontics, Oral Medicine and Radiology, Oral Pathology, Oral Surgery and Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics.
The institute stands out in terms of superior infrastructure with state-of-the-art equipment and laboratories. It is also the only institute in the State to have an integrated department of Oral Implantology, apart from a mobile dental van to cater to remote areas and a fully functional twin chair. The campus is Wi-Fi enabled, and has air conditioned smart lecture theatres. The library has around 6,000 books and 200 journals.
Dr Neeta Mohanty, Dean, IDS, says, “Our aim is to provide quality dental education. We nurture the students by providing them with the best of facilities and well trained faculty.”
IDS gets an out-patient footfall of around 450 patients on a daily basis, and all patients are offered free check-ups and consultation on their first visit. The cost for specialised treatment is also less than what private clinics charge. IDS has organised 514 dental camps, including those for economically weaker sections, so far covering an area of 100 km.
Pragyan Priyadarshini, an intern at IDS says, “We have an excellent dental fraternity, which provides scientific knowledge with clinical expertise to thousands of students. Being an alumni of this institute makes me immensely proud.”
The institute has seminar halls, classrooms and a library apart from boys and girls hostels. It also has Ceramic, Histopathology and Research laboratories. The treatment halls of the institute can accommodate 400 patients at a time. Besides, the institute has a health club and multi-gym and a well-maintained eatery.kasturi@newindianexpress.com