Full Form of MDS:
Master of Dental Surgery
Full Form of MDS is Master of Dental Surgery. MDS is an Advanced Post Graduation Dentistry Course. Dentistry is a branch of medicine that purely deals with the anatomy, growth, and diseases of the teeth. In India, there are two most popular professional courses, namely: Engineering and Medical Courses. This craze among young aspirants and parents is based on the fact that these fields offer some of the most lucrative opportunities in and outside India. What more, there are prestigious institutions offering such courses that have attained international recognition and ensure maximum excellence for their students.
Medical science witnesses the highest number of candidates in national and state level entrance examinations in the country. It is one of the most widely acknowledged professional fields in the country and hence, the craze that we have talked about. There are varieties of courses that are available in medical science and each of them provides unique insights into different aspects of medical science.
You begin with an undergraduate professional course and eventually start practicing. However, in medical science especially, it is more desirable to pursue advanced studies to ensure greater success. It is therefore not uncommon to see fresh undergraduates enrolling in various post-graduate courses and seeking specialization in a particular field.
Amongst many courses in medical science, dental courses are second most popular. The undergraduate degree programme, Bachelor of Dental Surgery (Abbreviated as BDS) is second most popular degree course in medical science, only after the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (abbreviated as MBBS). While one is entitled to use the prefix Dr. after having finished BDS, many students opt for specialization and go for Master of Dental Surgery.
Master of Dental Surgery, which will hereinafter be referred to as MDS throughout the article, is a postgraduate professional course that provides to the enrolled students advanced courseware on a particular field of dental science. There are many facets in a typical MDS that needs to be sufficiently elaborated upon and so, here are four things about MDS you should know:
Master of Dental Surgery
As mentioned earlier, an MDS is a postgraduate course in dental surgery. The course generally lasts for three years but where the candidate has obtained a postgraduate diploma, which is duly recognized by Dental Council of India (abbreviated as DCI), in a particular specialty then such candidates can avail of two years MDS degree
The course is built in a manner so as to bolster critical skills, along with research skills, clinical skills and of course, practical skills for better and thorough understanding. The Dental Council of India is the apex authority that monitors dental science education system in the country. Whatever regulations it pass have to be mandatorily followed by dental institutes situated across the country or otherwise it would invite stringent actions from the administrative body. Thus, in essence, MDS provides deeper insights into various aspects of a particular specialty in dental science.
Duration of MDS Course:
Master of Dental Surgery is generally a three years course and requires the student to have a Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree from a college, which is recognized by an authorized regulatory authority. In India, Dental Council of India is the regulatory authority in this regard. However, the course lasts for three years but to the candidates who have contended their Post Graduation Diploma course recognized by the DCI, have a provision to enter into a two-year course. The maximum period to complete this course varies according to some universities.
MDS Course Overview:
The course provides the progress of critical analysis, research skills as well as advanced clinical skills that are needed for the registration of being a specialist. Likewise U.G.C., Dental Council of India (D.C.I.) is the authoritarian body for dental courses. All the dental institutes in India will have to follow a certain set of rules and regulations that are being provided by the D.C.I.
The courseware of this post-graduation degree covers a variety of areas like Periodontology, Orthodontics, Maxillofacial Surgery, Radiology, Dentofacial Orthopedics, etc. Most of the time, the courseware generally depends on upon the college, however, common subjects remain in every courseware of any college. In India, there are many entrance tests in this respect, for example, Common Entrance Test (CET), or Dental Postgraduate Entrance Test conducted by Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University (DENPET).
Eligibility Criteria for MDS Course:
The minimum requirement on the part of the interested student is that he or she must have obtained BDS or any other equivalent qualification, which is duly recognized by the apex body, the Dental Council of India. In case where students do not possess an unrecognized dental qualification, then such student must secure prior approval from the Council before he can be given admission in any dental institute of the country.
The age limit is fixed at 21 years. An All India Common Entrance Test (abbreviated as AICET) is conducted by several dental institutes in the country or by any authorized agency under the aegis of the University Grants Commission (abbreviated as UGC). The admission of the candidate shall be determined on the basis of the score obtained in such examinations and the cut off set.
In case the interested candidate is a foreign national, then he or she must secure temporary registration by the Dental Council of India for the time period for which he is admitted to the dental institute. There are other restrictions, or for that matter, qualifications enumerated for a candidate who wishes to enroll in an MDS programme.
A well-qualified dentist is sure to have a Master of Dental Surgery, which adds to his credibility and of course, his abilities as a professional dentist. A Master of Dental Surgery provides training and knowledge on a myriad of fields relating to Dentistry. It helps medical students become registered dentists and carry out the profession properly and efficiently.
Specialization in MDS Course
Through an MDS, one can seek specialization in any of the several fields in dental science. The courseware would deal with the nitty-gritty of that particular choice and provide the student with a much detailed and informative insight into the field. One can seek specialization in fields such as Maxillofacial surgery, oral surgery, Prosthodontics, Orthodontics, Conservative Dentistry, Operative Dentistry, Oral Medicine, Radiology, Aesthetic Dentistry, Pedodontics, Preventive Dentistry, Endodontics, Ora Implantology, etc. In countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, there is a greater number of options in a typical MDS course, and thus, pursuing MDS from a foreign university is also a viable option.
Career options after obtaining MDS degree
It is up to the student whether he wishes to practice dentistry or engage in the research field. While there is a long line of recruiters who are seeking postgraduates in dental surgery, there are many opportunities available in research and teaching profession as well. Many MDS graduates pursue Ph.D. courses such as Doctor of Philosophy in Dentistry, Candidate of Odontology (abbreviated as Cand. Odont.), Doctor of Medical Dentistry (abbreviated as Dr. Med. Dent.), Doctor of Dentistry (abbreviated as DD), etc. Not only that, an MDS graduate can opt for various certification courses that help candidates in strengthening their knowledge base and also add up to qualifications.
Such certification courses are usually considered in recruitment processes and therefore, enrollment in such courses is a good step. One can opt for certification courses in Aesthetic Dentistry, Dental Hygienist, Dental Mechanic, Oral Implantology, etc. Apart from the aforementioned options, one can set up his own private practice or get recruited in dental hospitals or in government services relating to dentistry. Such candidates are also eligible to take up jobs in various units of armed forces. Thus, there are plenty of options available to an MDS degree holder.
