Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) - Course Overview

About Master of Dental Surgery (MDS)

Master of Dental Surgery is a postgraduate degree in Dentistry. The duration of the Master of Dental Surgery is a three-years but there is a provision of two-years MDS course for candidates who have completed a Post Graduate Diploma course recognised by DCI.

MDS provides aspirants with training in different disciplines in dentistry. The main objective of the programme is to train students to become registered dental specialists. The MDS course prepares candidates to be both practitioners and advisory consultants in their chosen areas of specialisation.

The Master of Dental Surgery course further aims to develop research skills, advanced clinical skills and critical skills that are important for specialist registration. The MDS programme in India is supervised by the Dental Council of India (DCI). It is a regulatory body in India for dental courses and institutions. The duration of the MDS course in India is three years and its career-oriented programme.

There are various dentistry specialisations that one can pursue in MDS course. Some of the popular MDS specializations include Periodontics, Orthodontics, Oral Medicine & Radiology and others.

Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) Eligiblity Criteria

Check out the eligibility criteria for the Master of Dental Surgery below:

Minimum Qualification: Candidate must have a bachelor’s degree Bachelors in Dental Surgery (BDS) or an equivalent qualification recognized by Dental Council of India.

Foreign Nationals seeking admission in MDS course must procure a temporary registration from Dental Council of India till the time they are pursuing postgraduate training.

Age Criteria: Candidate should be at least 21 years of age to apply for the AICET entrance test for admission to MDS course offered by various Dental colleges in India.

Others: Candidates should be physically fit and should not suffer from any contagious disease when applying for MDS course.

Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) Admissions

Admission to the MDS course in dental institutes across the country is on the basis of entrance tests. Various colleges conduct different entrance examinations or follow the state or national level common entrance examination. Therefore candidates are advised to keep a track of the MDS entrance exams.

Some of the popular entrance exams for MDS course are as follows:

• All India Post Graduate Dental Entrance Exam (AIPGDEE)
• Kerala University MDS Entrance Exam
• Manipal University MDS Entrance Exam

Candidates who meet the eligibility criteria can fill in the application form and appear in the entrance examination. Seat allotment is done on the basis of merit/cut off list which is released after the result is declared.

MDS Specialisations

Prosthodontics: It is that branch of dental surgery which is responsible for diagnosis, treatment planning and maintenance of the oral function, comfort, appearance, and health of patients with clinical conditions associated with missing or deficient teeth.

Orthodontics: It is one of the branches of dentistry that corrects teeth and jaws that are not structured well. Crooked teeth and teeth that do not fit together correctly are harder to keep clean, are at risk of being lost early due to tooth decay and periodontal disease and can even lead to several headaches and other related problems.

Operative Dentistry: Operative dentistry is the area of dentistry that focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases or trauma to teeth.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is the branch that is responsible for the diagnosis and treatment of a broad range of disorders affecting the facial complex and skeleton, including the jaws and oral cavity.

Conservative Dentistry: It is the branch of dentistry which is concerned with the conservation of teeth in the mouth.

Periodontics: Periodontics is a branch of dentistry that focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal disease, and in the placement of dental implants.

Oral Medicine and Radiology: It is that branch in dentistry that deals with diseases of oral and surrounding structures.

Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) Syllabus

Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) course includes various specialisations that one can choose as per their acumen and career interest. The syllabus of MDS course varies as per the specialisation. The branch-wise syllabus for MDS course in dental colleges/institutes recognised by Dental Council of India is given below:

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery	Orthodontics	Periodontics	Conservative Dentistry
Applied Basic Sciences	Applied Basic Sciences	Applied Basic Sciences	Conservative Dentistry including preventing dentistry
Maxillofacial Surgery	BioMechanics & Various Tissue Changes in Techniques and Treatments in Orthodontics	Diagnosis, Treatment and Preventive in Periodontology and Implantology	Dentistry Material
Minor Oral Surgery and Trauma	Basic in Orthodontics, Diagnosis and Radiology	Recent Advances in Periodontics	Endodontics
Recent Advances in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery	Recent Advances in Orthodontics		Recent Advances in Conservative Dentistry

Note: The syllabus for some of the branches of dentistry will be updated soon. 

Career Options and Job Prospects

The demand for professionals in Dental Surgery in the country is growing day by day, as government and private healthcare units are trying their best to provide oral healthcare services to the citizens of India. Dental care is an important aspect to maintain good health. After completing a Masters in Dental Surgery can find employment in the following areas –

• Dental Colleges and Research Institutes
• Dental Research Labs
• Private Hospitals
• Dental Clinics
• Military Services

Check out some of the important job roles that a professional with MDS degree can take up in the field of Dental Healthcare/ Surgery:

• Dental Surgeon
• Orthodontist
• Periodontist
• Dentist
• Professor/ Researcher
• Prosthodontist
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
• Private Practitioners

The average starting salary of a dental surgeon ranges between Rs. 6 lakh to Rs.10 lakh. With experience in the profession, the salary of a dental surgeon can be between Rs.15 lakh to Rs. 20 lakh. Dental surgeons working with private hospitals and those who are private practitioners tend to earn way higher than those employed in government dental units or hospitals.