Dentistry is a field of Medical Sciences that has maintained steady popularity among Science students. For good reason too, dental students can go on to work on patients, correct their teeth and smile giving a much-needed boost of confidence. To cater to this increasing interest in dentistry, colleges and universities have been introducing dedicated degrees at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels such as MDS in Oral Medicine and Radiology.
Colleges like Mansarovar Dental College provide MDS degrees in several specialisations. Upon graduation, most students work as dentists along with the following other positions.
MDS individuals can primarily work as Dentists. However, there are many more MDS oral medicine and radiology jobs that students should be aware of. For some of these jobs, one might have to take up additional examinations, in particular, for the Government service jobs.
The first and foremost job profile that most MDS students are eligible for and work as is a Dentist. An umbrella term differentiated only by the specialisation of the individual, in this case, it is oral medicine and radiology. There is a wide MDS oral medicine and radiology scope in this profile where most individuals retire as. Regular duties of dentists include checking up on the teeth of patients and detecting oral diseases. Thereafter, based on the finding they will prescribe a treatment plan. Occasionally, the dentist will also have to perform any major and minor dental surgeries. On average, Dentists earn around INR 3,07,981 LPA. This figure can go up to INR 10,00,000 LPA with more experience.
Also Read: Top 5 Skills Required in a Dentist
Dental Hygienists have a regular dental degree whose primary duty is to look for signs of oral disease. They will look for these diseases and also prescribe preventive care for them. Per the name, Dental Hygienists also perform clean-ups on their patients and educate the patients on better oral hygiene. Some procedures they will do are removing plaque, taking x-rays, removing stains, periodontal dressings, polishing teeth etc. They typically do not perform more advanced or complicated procedures or surgeries. In such cases, they will refer the patient to a dentist. Per online reports, Dental Hygienists can expect an average pay of around INR 2,50,252 LPA.
A consultant, generally, is someone with expertise in a particular field. They aid other companies in the same field to achieve efficiency or achieve certain goals. Once the goal is achieved, they move on to another project. Dental Consultants work on similar guidelines. They provide advice and guidance to dentists, dental hygienists and other dental professionals. Occasionally, they will also work with patients but mostly they work with other dental peers. This MDS in oral medicine and radiology career opportunities is more flexible in terms of choosing who to work with and fees to charge. This is a higher-paid job role that has an average salary of around INR 4,10,000 LPA.
For individuals who have a passion to teach and are more academically inclined must choose to work as a lecturer. Most dental or medical lecturers also work in a full-time capacity on the side. Medical colleges will require candidates to have prior work experience to be eligible for certain lecturer job roles. Teaching undergraduate dental students or postgraduate students is an excellent way to keep up to date with medical knowledge and new developments in the field. MDS students stand a chance to make high salaries as a lecturer as compared to BDS graduates. Lecturers or professors in dental colleges earn around INR 49,500 monthly. On the higher end, they can earn around INR 76,200 monthly.
MDS students in research and development are referred to as Dental Researchers. This profile is mostly involved in conducting tests and trials and conducting experiments on different dental products and services. The goal is to improve the efficiency of said products or create new ones. The skills and eligibility criteria to work in this role will vary depending on the duties and specific recruiter. Generally, Dental Researchers work with a dental product manufacturer, medical colleges and universities or with a Government organization. The average salary for a Dental Researcher is dependent on the individual’s skill set and previous work experience.
Dentists who work as General Practitioners can choose where to work and have more flexible work hours meaning they do not work the regular 9 to 5 hours. Dental General Practitioners will set up their own clinics in hospitals. Alternatively, other General Practitioners also work as General Practitioners at hospitals. The range of duties is the same as a dentist. Looking at patients, finding out the oral issue and formulating a plan of action to remove said issue is what General Practitioners do. A dental surgeon who works as a General Practitioner earns around INR 3,40,000 LPA.
Dental Surgery is a specialisation of dentistry that deals with oral surgeries. These surgeries are done not only on a patient’s teeth and gums but also on the jaw and surrounding area. Most of the best dental colleges in India offer dental surgery as a concentration with their postgraduate dental degrees. Most dentists do not perform surgeries or services for advanced oral problems like tooth extractions. The Dental Surgeon or Oral Surgeon is an individual trained to specially perform surgeries and other advanced procedures. A Dental Surgeon in India earns around INR 3,00,000 LPA.
If one wishes to be their own boss and have complete control of what they do as a dental professional, they can set up their practice. Here, there are two options, setting up a private dental clinic at a chosen location or with a hospital. This is a more risky option for MDS students as it takes time to build up a trusted patient base. Moreover, there are administrative and managerial duties to perform as well. Like with Dental Researcher, the salary in this role will vary monthly.
The Government of India has several hospitals across the country where trained and educated dentists are required. Besides Government hospitals, dentists are also a regular fixture in the army and other branches of the armed forces too. For the latter, there is a requirement of taking up additional examinations, depending on the branch. Government jobs are considered to be more secure with regular increments in salary.
If working in any of the above capacities does not seem attractive, there is always the option to opt for higher education. In particular, there is the option of fellowship courses after MDS in oral medicine and radiology. The good news is here, a PhD or a doctorate degree in any dental specialisation opens up more jobs with higher salaries for individuals. Admissions are like the undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, entrance tests, counselling and also a personal interview round.
Also Read: The Future of Indian Dentistry
MDS students have a wider range of job options as compared to BDS students. This is due to the specialisation choice one can choose at this stage. Not only jobs but there is also even the choice to continue education and enrol on a fellowship course or a PhD degree. The sky's the limit regarding career options after completing an MDS in Oral Medicine and Radiology.
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