Summary
BDS course is likely to undergo a major change with a mandatory one-year internship and a semester system
The new curriculum proposes to follow a competency-based approach that is aimed at looking at the outcomes of the training
Undergraduate dental education is likely to undergo a significant change with a mandatory one-year internship and a semester system on the lines of MBBS. According to the draft Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) course regulations, it will also start with a credit-based system.
Member of the executive committee of the Dental Council of India, Dr Anil Kumar Chandna said, “The proposed changes to the undergraduate dental curriculum will completely change the way the course is taught and bring it closer to international standards. Various provisions like the credit-based system will also allow for international exchange of students in the future.” He said the process for bringing in the changes has already commenced, the draft regulations have been shared with states and national dental colleges.
Under the draft course regulations, it would take five-and-a-half years to complete BDS, including one year of internship. Presently, a mandatory internship is not part of BDS. The draft also states that the current annual system shall be changed to a semester based system, with medical training completed across nine semesters. The new curriculum also proposes to follow a competency-based approach that is aimed at looking at the outcomes of the training. It will also assign credits to each course and offer choice-based credits allowing students to pick accordingly. There will also be an option of credit transfer among colleges.
The course will be divided into core subjects that a student must study, electives that the student can choose from, and foundation courses. According to the draft, the foundation courses will be of two types — the compulsory foundation courses that will enhance the knowledge of the students and elective foundation courses that are for “man making”. The curriculum will include courses such as medical bioethics among the core subjects and electives such as article writing, systematic reviews, sports dentistry, sleep medicine, forensic odontology, dental jurisprudence, social justice, environmental science, and yoga.
Last updated on 08 Sep 2022
