MDS (Master of Dental Surgery)
The MDS (Master of Dental Surgery) admission offers graduate training in various fields of dentistry. Each discipline program aims at preparing graduate students to work as dental specialists. The MDS admission develop critical analysis skills, research skills and advanced clinical skills needed for a specialist. MDS course prepare students to work as practitioners or advisory consultants in their fields of specialization. Each programe includes papers on research methodologies and practices, advanced clinical science and advanced clinical practice. The MDS program consists of papers and research dissertation.
Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) full form is the 3-year Master’s degree in Dentistry. This course is designed for advanced training and education of dental professionals. Candidates who have completed their Bachelor of Science in Dentistry (BDS) can take up MDS to gain a thorough understanding of the field of dental studies. Candidates who are eligible for MDS must have a valid NEET MDS (National Entrance Test) or INI CET (Indian National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test) score. The MDS course fee varies from INR 5 lakh to INR 17 lakh. Most of the college offer MDS course for students. After completing MDS, students can choose from many job profiles such as endodontists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, orthodontists, and oral surgeons. The average salary of a MDS graduate fresher starting from INR 3 lakh to INR 5 lakh annual. Continue reading for more details about MDS course.
MDS Admission Highlights
Master of Dental Surgery, or MDS, is a medical specialty that only treats the jaw, teeth, and other face regions. The MDS course lasts for three years. The MDS course is only available to applicants who hold a Bachelor of Science in Dental Science and, in certain situations, have completed a year-long internship. The following table provides candidates with a quick overview of the MDS course’s main points:
Particulars |
Details |
Course Name |
MDS- Master of Dental Surgery |
Degree Level |
Master level degree |
Course Duration |
3 years |
Exam Type |
Yearly |
Eligibility Criteria |
Minimum 50% marks in BDS & Entrance exam qualification |
Course Fees |
INR 5-17 lac (Annual) |
Average Salary |
INR 3 – 5 Lac (Annual) |
Entrance Exam |
NEET MDS, INI CET |
Job Sector |
Academic institutions, Hospitals, Scientists, Clinical researchers etc. |
About MDS Course
The MDS is a dental postgraduate degree. The MDS course is 3 years long, although those who completed a Post Graduate Diploma degree approved by DCI may choose to shorten it to two years. A MDS degree prepares for future dentists in a range of dental specialties. Preparing students to become qualified dental specialists is the main objective of the MDS course. In their selected fields of study, the MDS courses prepare students to be both advisory consultants and practitioners.
Why study MDS Course?
Master of Dental surgery is the last stage of professional study that provides you with professional knowledge and skills relevant to the medical field of dentistry such as specialization, advanced clinical skills, research opportunities, successful career etc.
- You will gain in-depth knowledge and hands-on experience of solving real-world medical problems related to oral and dental diseases through different specializations.
- This is a wide field of study, and to become an expert in this field, you will need to achieve professional proficiency through laboratory training, on-the-job training, internship, practical courses, seminars, lectures etc.
- If you want to build your career in dental and oral specialty and become an expert, then this course is the right choice for you.
- During the final examination, you will have to take a written test, write a thesis, pass practical exams, and viva voce.
- Upon successful completion of the course, you will be able to pursue a career as an expert in Dental Surgery with specialization of your choice.
- There are many job opportunities available for you such as Dental surgeon, dental hygienist, academic lecturer, clinical research scientist, general practitioner, etc.
- For MDS candidates, a Ph.D. in dental surgery is a likely next step in the future. It will significantly assist in raising the worth and scope of job possibilities.
Indian MDS Scholarship
Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) students may be eligible for scholarships to help with living expenses, tuition, and other expenses associated with their education. Many colleges and universities, associations, and government departments provide these scholarships for MDS admission.
Eligibility Criteria for MDS Admission
Students for the MDS admission must qualify the eligibility criteria listed below:
- A BDS degree from a dental college or university approved by the Dental Council of India is a requirement for admission.
- Before taking MDS admission, they had to have completed their BDS internship.
- For MDS admission, certain dental universities require minimum marks in the qualifying degree examination, such as 55% overall across all BDS course fields.
- Candidates must have obtained the passing marks in BDS exams.
- The candidate needs to have achieved a Provincial or Permanent registration from the Indian Government Council for practice.
- Before the academic session starts, a candidate cannot take admission unless they have finished their most required one-year internship and also obtained their provincial or permanent registration from the Government Council of India.
Entrance Exams for MDS Admission
Medical Entrance Exams are the basis for MDS admission; for them to be admission to dental colleges and institutes in India, applicants must pass these exams. The following are a some of the MDS admission exams:
- NEET MDS
- INI CET
Major Difference between NEET MDS & INI CET
Particulars |
NEET MDS |
INI CET |
Exam Name |
National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for MDS |
Institute of National Importance combined Entrance Test |
Conducting authority |
National Board of Examination (NBE) |
AIIMS, New Delhi |
Courses |
MDS |
|
Exam Level |
PG |
PG |
Exam frequency |
Annual |
Twice in a year (January and July) |
Mode of the examination |
computer Based online |
computer Based online |
Duration of examination |
3 Hours |
180 minutes |
Total Marks |
960 |
200 |
Official website |
How to Prepare for MDS Entrance Exams
Preparing for an MDS admission exam requires dedication, a planned study schedule, and effective study techniques. The following advice will help you effectively prepare for the MDS admission and crack the MDS entrance exam:
- Create an accurate schedule that outlines the topics you must cover and the time you are going to spend studying.
- Your knowledge of oral pathology, oral medicine, oral and maxillofacial surgery, prosthodontics, orthodontics, periodontics, and other dental specialty is usually reviewed on MDS entrance exams. Concentrate on improving your understanding of these basic concepts.
- Effective time management is essential. Give each subject enough time in accordance with how much importance it will have on the exam. Give the priority for subjects that are worth more marks.
- Practice all previous questions and mock test will help you become comfortable with the exam pattern of the MDS entrance exams.
- Study previous years’ exam papers to have an awareness of the type of difficulty level and common question.
- When taking the exam, start with the questions you are more comfortable answering and, if you have time then go back to the more difficult questions.
MDS (Master of Surgery) Syllabus
The broad MDS syllabus, which highlights graduates’ knowledge, is included in the list of courses and specializations for MDS. Additionally, MDS offers students particular theoretical, practical, and experimental knowledge in subjects like science, dentistry, oral health, projects, doctoral theses, training, and so on. According to Dental Council of India standards, the MDS syllabus is the same for all specializations. Since we provided a comparable syllabus below, it is possible that various colleges have different syllabus or subjects for the MDS course.
Please check the table below for more details of common MDS syllabus.
General human physiology and Biochemistry |
General Anatomy |
General Medicine |
Dental Materials |
Orthodontics |
General Surgery |
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery |
Periodontology |
Dental Anatomy |
Public Health Dentistry |
General & Dental Pharmacology and Therapeutics |
Oral Pathalogy |
Oral Medicine |
General Pathology and Microbiology |
Prosthodontics and Crown and Bridge |
Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry |
Oral Microbiology |
Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics |
Oral Histology |
Embryology |
Dentofacial Orthopedics |
Oral Radiology |
MDS Admission & counseling Process
The MDS admissions process for covers enrollment, registration, and other steps. Students have to verify those before beginning the admissions process.
Step1: To apply for MDS admission, pass the exam and, based on your results, present yourself for the counseling session.
Step2: Fill out the online registration form using the official website.
Step3: Carefully fill out your information and then upload your documents.
Step 4: After the counseling process check the seat allotment result and download your allotment letter.
Specialties in MDS Degree
Prosthodontics, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthodontics, and many more specialties are available with an MDS degree. MDS specializations are shown in the table below.
Prosthodontics |
Periodontology. |
Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics. |
Paedodontics |
Dentistry and Endodontics. |
Oral Medicine and Radiology |
Periodontology |
Orthodontics |
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery |
Oral Pathology |
Conservative Dentistry |
Community Dentistry |
MDS Course Fees
BDS candidates can study MDS to gain an in-depth knowledge of dental disciplines. In order to study MDS, a candidate has to have a valid NEET MDS (National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test) score or a valid INI MDS (Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test) score, which is a national entrance test. The MDS average course fee ranges in private colleges from INR 5Lakh to INR 17Lakh annual while in Government colleges MDS fees starting from INR 2000 annual.
MDS Admission in Top Private Dental Colleges in India
After Class 12th, MDS is one of the most sought-after degrees in India. Those who want MDS admission at one of India’s top colleges should do so if they want to succeed in their job later. Many Indian institutions offer education in the popular profession of BDS. Applicants who want to pursue a Master of Dental Surgery at any particular college must obtain a suitable rank in entrance exam to be able to select their preferred college during counseling. Some of the top government colleges in India that provide MDS courses are King George’s Medical University, JIPMER Pondicherry, and the AIIMS Delhi. Students can view the table below, which lists the top private colleges along with tentative annual fees in India for MDS admission:
Colleges Name |
Location |
Recognition |
Annual MDS Fees (tentative) |
Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology |
Orissa |
DCI |
INR 1,75,000 |
Haldia Institute of Dental Sciences and Research |
West Bengal |
DCI |
INR 3,50,000 |
Pacific Dental College & Hospital |
Rajasthan |
DCI |
INR 3,00,000 |
Manipal College of Dental Sciences |
Karnataka |
DCI |
INR 17,60,000 |
Shree Bankey Bihari Dental College and Research Centre |
Uttar Pradesh |
DCI |
INR 8,00,000 |
Bapuji Dental College and Hospital |
Karnataka |
DCI |
INR 6,20,676 |
A B Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences |
Karnataka |
DCI |
INR 10,15,000 |
Christian Dental College |
Punjab |
DCI |
INR 5,85,000 |
Dr. R. Ahmed Dental College and Hospital |
West Bengal |
DCI |
INR 18,000 |
Babu Banarasi Das University |
Uttar Pradesh |
DCI |
INR 6,49,000 |
SDM College of Dental Sciences and Hospital |
Karnataka |
DCI |
INR 12,24,578 |
Faculty of Dental Sciences, M. S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences |
Karnataka |
DCI |
INR 12,71,500 |
Saveetha Dental College & Hospital |
Tamil Nadu |
DCI |
INR 16,50,000 |
Amrita School of Dentistry |
Kerala |
DCI |
INR 13,58,800 |
ITS Dental College |
Uttar Pradesh |
DCI |
INR 8,10,000 |
Manav Rachna Dental College |
Haryana |
DCI |
INR 9,50,000 |
Bharati Vidyapeeth Dental College and Hospital |
Maharashtra |
DCI |
INR 13,00,000 |
Sardar Patel Post Graduate Institute of Dental and Medical Sciences |
Uttar Pradesh |
DCI |
INR 8,00,000 |
Educare Institute of Dental Sciences |
Kerala |
DCI |
INR 8,50,000 |
Dr. D Y Patil Vidyapeeth |
Maharashtra |
DCI |
INR 14,00,000 |
MDS Career Scope: Top Recruiters, Salary, and Job Profiles
Because there is a growing need for maintaining dental health, MDS courses provide students with a bright career. Because of popular addictions, carelessness, and a number of other factors, dental disorders are among the most common issues among people. Dental professionals are continually in demand in the departments of private hospitals, government-run dental clinics, and private dentistry centers. Once the MDS course is finished, there is also a great deal of opportunities in the academic world. They can work on research in this field or look for a PhD.
Job Profiles and Salaries
The MDS course scope is fairly broad for masters. Most Indian colleges provide students with the opportunity to follow a variety of career paths in the healthcare sector. The MDS course prepares students for career opportunities in India with a good job rate and a competitive annual salary package. The following table lists a few job profiles and associated average annual salaries at MDS:
Job Profiles |
Job Description |
Average Annual salary |
General practitioner |
Work as a specialist on your own, autonomously in your own practice, or join any clinic to assess, care for, and, if necessary, operate on patients. |
INR 5-6 lac |
Clinical Research Scientist |
Become a clinical research scientist and work in the field of research as a professional. Research on the various dental science specialist issues to identify pathologies, therapies, differentiators, and approaches to prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation. |
INR 3-4 Lac |
Dental Surgeon |
function as a vital component of any hospital. Any dental surgeon’s primary duty would be to monitor, assess, and treat oral and dental conditions in-office as well as on discharge patients, and perform surgeries as required. |
INR 6-8 Lac |
Academic lecturer |
Teach dental college students studying bachelor’s and master’s degrees about the comprehensive course. Both in theory and full-depth practical classes, teach them. Perform regular research and participate in dental science advancement by making contributions to modern dental research. |
INR 6-7 Lac |
Top Recruiters
Most of the top recruiters for those with MDS degrees in medicine and health sciences include hospitals, medical research facilities, pharmaceutical companies, etc. After obtaining a practicing license from the medical organization, someone with a degree in medical and health sciences is also permitted to work out of their own clinic. The following lists a few popular recruiters of MDS graduates:
Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals |
Medirin Pharma |
Axiss Dental |
Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research |
Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre |
Mankind Pharma |
Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Ltd. |
Sri Ganga Ram Hospital |
Medanta Hospitals |
Cipla Ltd. |
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. |
All India Institute of Medical Sciences |
Future Scope for MDS Graduates
It is no secret that the Medical profession is constantly growing due to the ever-increasing demand. In addition, the poor oral health conditions and several oral addictions in this country require strong and skilled Dental professionals. An MDS candidate can further develop their career in two main ways.
Academic scope: A doctoral degree in Dental Surgery is one of the best academic qualifications that guarantee a bright future in Dental Surgery. Following MDS, an interested student can pursue research with follow-up Ph.D. in Dental Surgery with a fellowship.
Professional scope: After obtaining higher degrees and gaining experience, an MDS candidate can apply for higher-ranking positions in different colleges and hospitals.
Private Clinic: Private practice is another promising future scope. With the right experience and degree, an MDS graduate can thrive in private practice effectively.
After successfully completing MDS, graduates may find career opportunities in private dental clinics, dental departments of hospitals, dental clinics of government health clinics, academic institutions, pharmaceutical research centers for oral care products sectors, and many more.
FAQs
Questions: How can I take MDS admission?
Answer: Students must take the NEET MDS or INI CET entrance exams for MDS admission.
Questions: Is NEET MDS exam required MDS admission?
Answer: The NEET MDS is very competitive. Thus, in order to succeed on this test, students must be committed and focused.
Questions: What is the good Marks in NEET MDS?
Answer: A NEET MDS score of more than 650 is regarded as good.
Questions: What is the average salary package of MDS doctor in India?
Answer: In India, the average salary for a dentist is between INR 2 and INR 5 lakhs.
Questions: What is the MDS’s scope?
Answer: Students have extensive knowledge in orthodontics after completing MDS.
Questions: Is MDS an excellent option after BDS?
Answer: It is undoubtedly a wise choice to do MDS following BDS since it would increase your qualification as a dental surgeon.
Questions: What is the average MDS course fee in Government colleges in India?
Answer: Many government colleges provide students with MDS programs in all specializations. The starting course fee for a three-year degree program at these colleges is INR 2,000, which is very cheap.
Questions: Does MDS require BDS?
Answer: To be eligible for MDS, students must finish BDS study.
Questions: Can I work after completing MDS?
Answer: After MDS, students might find work in clinics, educational sector and hospitals.