If you want to become a dentist, a bachelor of dental surgery course can be a great stepping stone. A bachelor of dental surgery course will help you to get a deep understanding of dental issues. It is the only educational and professional programme for dental surgery in India. If you are planning to apply for a bachelor of dental surgery course, here are some important things you should know:
1. Difference between MBBS and BDS:
There are a few key differences between MBBS and BDS courses, such as:
- The MBBS syllabus concerns the entire body while a BDS course is focused on oral health.
- MBBS is a 4.5-year course + 1-year mandatory internship while BDS is 4 years + 1-year mandatory internship.
- Till 2nd year the syllabus for both courses is almost the same. From the third year onwards, it is different.
- Once an MBBS course is completed, students must take part in hands-on training in outpatient departments. Post-completion of the BDS course, students can pursue an MDS course or start their clinical practice.
Note: To kickstart a dental career, students need to pursue a bachelor of dental surgery course.
2. Basic eligibility criteria for BDS through NEET:
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test or NEET is a national-level entrance examination required for admission to medical courses in India. The exam is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) and eligibility criteria are set by the Medical Council of India (MCI).
Here are the eligibility criteria to take the NEET:
- You must have completed class 12 with physics, biology and chemistry as your main subjects.
- You have to clear your class 12 exams under a recognised board.
- You have to qualify for the NEET percentile. The qualifying marks vary from year to year and are released by the NTA along with the NEET results.
3. NEET pattern:
Here is the pattern of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET):
- Exam mode: NEET is held in offline mode.
- Type of questions: It consists of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs).
- The number of questions: NEET exam consists of 200 questions. Out of those, you have to answer 180 questions. Choices are given in section B.
- Exam duration: NEET exam duration is 3 hours and 20 minutes.
- Medium: NEET question paper is given in various languages, such as English, Assamese, Gujarati, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Odisha, Telugu and Punjabi.
- Marking scheme: There is a negative marking in the NEET exam. For each correct answer, you will get 4 marks and one mark is deducted for an incorrect answer.
Note: Exam pattern may vary as per the guidelines of the NTA.
4. Scope of BDS:
The bachelor of dental surgery course provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to perform all types of dental procedures. There is a huge demand for the BDS course. After completing this course there are various career opportunities such as :
- Clinical practice: After you finish your bachelor of dental surgery course, you may be interested in starting your own dental practice. This can be a great career choice, as it can be a great source of income. However, there are some things to keep in mind before you take the plunge. Opening a clinic requires significant investment.
- Lecturer: Joining as a faculty member is a great option if you’re looking for a career in academics. You Can start as a junior lecturer after clearing
- UGC NET To become a senior lecturer, you can pursue an MDS programme.
- Government job as a dentist after BDS:
The central and state governments have various openings for dentists in different departments. Some of the government dental jobs are a territorial officer in the Indian army, army dental corps and jobs in Indian railways.
Are you looking for the best dental colleges in Gujarat?
Karnavati School of Dentistry is one of the best dental colleges in Gujarat. We rank no. 1 in Gujarat as per NIRF ranking. The curriculum of the bachelor of dental surgery course is designed as per the standards set up by the Dental Council of India. Spread over 33
acres of land, the college has state-of-the-art labs, a high-tech library and a dedicated OPD where students are trained in skill and professionalism under the guidance of experts.
For more information about our bachelor of dental surgery course, contact us.