Dental Council Of India Research Articles

Ethics in dentistry

Objective: Dentists should build their reputation on their professional ability and integrity and should abide by the regulations put forth by the Dental Council of India (DCI). The aim of the study is to find out whether the code of ethics is followed in clinical practice by the dental practitioners in Chennai. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 1128 dental clinics in Chennai and data with respect to the name boards and advertisement were collected by means of a personalized survey. Results: The size of the sign board exceeded in 69% of the dental clinics. The sign board contained attractive symbols, pictures, and wordings in 68% of the dental clinics visited. 9% of the dental practitioners used abbreviations other than academic qualifications recognized by DCI in their clinic board. There were signboards in places other than the clinic in 22% of the clinics surveyed. 26% of the clinics used visual or printed media for advertisements. Conclusion: This study concludes that ethics are not strictly followed by the dental practitioners in their clinical practice. A proper ethical committee should be formed by the state dental councils to monitor the practitioners and dental clinics. Also, regulatory bodies like state dental councils and DCI should think about the revision/modification of certain codes of ethics, particularly with respect to the name boards, as these were framed almost three decades ago.

Implications of the Growth of Dental Education in India

By influencing the supply of trained human resources, the dental education sector can play a significant role in influencing policy goals of ensuring good quality and equitable access to oral health services in developing countries. Our research goal was to assess quantitatively the size of the Indian dental education sector, its growth over time, and the implications of this growth for equity and quality in oral health care. Information on the location of teaching institutions, the year of establishment, type of ownership, and seat capacity was obtained from government sources, the Dental Council of India, and websites of individual institutions to estimate the growth in the undergraduate dental education sector, including the role of the private sector from 1950 to 2005. Data on location of training capacity and institutions were used to assess the geographical distribution of undergraduate dental education capacity in India. Registration data on dentists, the size of available faculty relative to regulatory requirements, and penalties imposed on offending faculty and education institutions were used to assess the impact of the growing Indian dental education sector on graduate quality and equitable access. Dental colleges and enrollment capacity have grown rapidly over the five decades since 1950, mainly due to a growing private sector. There is regional inequality in the location of dental education schools in India with a bias toward economically better-off regions. The growth in the dental education sector has translated into increased overall access, although accompanied by rising inequality in access and possibly lower quality of dental education.

Need for gerodontology education in India

To evaluate the status and need for education in Geriatric Dentistry in India. The status of dental education in India was studied. India has 185 dental schools producing 12 000 dental graduates every year. At postgraduate level, there are nine recognised specialities in Dentistry, and approximately 58 institutions offer 1160 places for postgraduate degree courses. Dental education is shaped and administered by the Dental Council of India. So far, Geriatric dentistry has not developed as a separate, independent speciality at postgraduate level. The undergraduate curriculum does not have any significant component of geriatric dentistry. The lack of training results in poor understanding of special needs of older adults in young graduates. Without adequate training and personal experience of growing old, young graduates may not be able to understand the physical, socio-economic and psychological problems of the elderly and the complexities involved in treatment planning for patients with multiple chronic diseases and medication. It is emphasized that geriatric dentistry should be included in each of the pre-clinical, para-clinical and clinical subjects at the undergraduate level. Graduate students should be encouraged to treat elderly patients in clinics under supervision using a multi-disciplinary approach. Also, postgraduate diploma and degree courses in geriatric dentistry should be developed to address the needs of the vast elderly population in India.