Top Dental Colleges in India 2024

After passing 12th, a student can aim to pursue UG, PG, or higher studies in dentistry under any of the top dental colleges in India. The duration to complete a BDS is 4-5 years (one year of internship), MDS of 3 years, and research studies depend on institution type. The curriculum in India for dental courses also offers certificate, diploma, and fellowship courses apart from regular full-time/part-time with the latest study programs for proficiency and learning skills.

Dental studies deal with covering oral health, maintains hygiene, and prevents oral diseases. The dental health experts focus on the oral system, prevent gum disease and encourage bright smiles, contributing to improving lives.

Every aspiring student should own qualities like scientific, analytical, and logical reasoning skills, sharp memory, attention to scientific details, interpersonal and communication skills, a good amount of patience, compassion, and flexibility to become a dentist, oral surgeon, or whether to pursue other dental fields.

Top Dental Colleges in India by NIRF

National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), approved by MHRD, follows standard methodology and metrics to rank various colleges/universities within India.

Various ranking parameters with their weightage by NIRF focuses on:

• Teaching, Learning & Resource - 30%
• Research and Professional Practice - 30%
• Graduation Outcomes - 20%
• Outreach and Inclusivity - 10%
• Perception - 10%

Here is the list of the top dental colleges in India by NIRF.

Top Dental Colleges in India by IndiaToday

According to IndiaToday ranking, the following table is a few of India's best dental colleges.

Top Dental Colleges in India Based on Zones

The zone-wise top dental colleges in India as per The Week ranking system are as follows.

Top Dental Colleges in North India

TThe top dental colleges in North India based on rankings by The Week are as follows;

• Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, New Delhi
• Faculty of Dentistry, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi
• I.T.S Centre for Dental Studies & Research, Ghaziabad
• Faculty of Dental Sciences King George's Medical University, Lucknow
• Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi

Top Dental Colleges in South India

The top dental colleges in South India based on rankings by The Week are as follows;

• Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal
• Tamilnadu Government Dental College & Hospital, Chennai
• Army College of Dental Sciences, Secunderabad
• A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangaluru

Top Dental Colleges in East India

The top dental colleges in East India based on rankings by The Week are as follows;

• Dr R. Ahmed Dental College and Hospital, Kolkata
• Institute of Dental Sciences, Siksha' O' Anusandhan, Bhubaneswar
• Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar
• Guru Nanak Institute of Dental Science & Research, Kolkata

Top Dental Colleges in West India

The top dental colleges in West India based on rankings by The Week are as follows;

• Nair Hospital Dental College, Mumbai
• Government Dental College and Hospital, Aurangabad
• Sinhgad Dental College and Hospital, Pune
• Pacific Dental College, Udaipur

Top Dental Colleges in Central India

The top dental colleges in Central India based on rankings by The Week are as follows;

• Government Dental College, Indore

Specialisation-wise Top Dental Colleges in India

After completing BDS, students will have to choose from different areas of specialization for MDS in dentistry.

Popular specializations include endodontics, oral and maxillofacial pathology, oral surgery, orthodontics, pedodontics, periodontics, and prosthodontics. There is always a higher scope upon completion in specialization and good salaries. 

With the increasing demand for higher education in dental sciences, more colleges are emerging every year. In India, there are more than 290 private and public colleges and universities offering dental programs.

Top Orthodontic Colleges in India

This field focuses on studies and practical applications about teeth straightening, teeth and jaw alignment. Graduates in this field will have career options as orthodontists, consultant orthodontists, senior lecturer orthodontics, etc. The top orthodontic colleges in India include;

• Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, New Delhi
• Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal
• Nair Hospital Dental College, Mumbai
• Institute of Medical Sciences, Varanasi

Top Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Colleges in India

A challenging specialization that focuses on problem-solving operations on the mouth or jaw. Candidates can work as an oral surgeon and implantologist, consultant faciomaxillary surgeon, dental assistant, etc. A few of India's top oral and maxillofacial surgery in India are;

• Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune 
• M. S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bangalore
• KIIT University, Bhubaneswar
• Siksha `O` Anusandhan, Bhubaneswar

Top Periodontics Colleges in India

An interesting essential field to driving solutions and applying techniques for artificial teeth. Job opportunities as a periodontist, professor, dental executive, and more. The following are the top periodontics colleges in India.

• Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune 
• SRM Dental College, Chennai
• A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangaluru
• Sri Ramakrishna Dental College and Hospital, Coimbatore

Fee Structure for Top Dental Colleges in India

The fee structure differs from one institution to another. The charges depend on the total number of programs and facilities offered, college-type, placement options, etc.

We have posted in the following for the few fees of various colleges of private and public.

Public Dental Colleges with UG Fees

The fees for government colleges for dental courses across India include below:

Private Dental Colleges with UG Fees

The fees for private dental colleges for undergraduate programs across India include below:

Public Dental Colleges with PG Fees

The different college fees for postgraduate programs at private dental college across India include below:

Private Dental Colleges with PG Fees

The fees for private dental colleges for postgraduate programs across India include below:

Entrance Exams Accepted by Top Dental Colleges in India

NEET is a necessary exam to pursue any dental studies. Find out the important entrance exams listed below for various levels at the national/state/university level. The entrance exams are mostly conducted by the top dental colleges in the country.

• NEET
• PGIMER
• AIPMT
• NEET MDS
• AIPGDEE
• CETPPMC
• MP DMAT
• Punjab PMET

Admissions and Eligibility Criteria for Top Dental Colleges in India

Candidates must go through the eligibility criteria for the respective colleges before applying for admission. Each college will have different criteria for eligibility (or admissions) depending on which a student will be offered a seat. Certain colleges also keep management quota and category-wise seat reservations for giving admissions.

Admissions into dental courses are given based on entrance exams score/rank achieved or based on merit. By achieving qualifying NEET exam scores, it is helpful to get into dental, medical, veterinary, etc.  

Get more information about the eligibility and admission criteria below.

Eligibility Criteria for Top Dental Colleges in India

Most of the colleges have the same eligibility criteria except for some minor or additional requirements. The general eligibility criteria for applying to a dental course are as follows;

UG level

• Candidates should be Indian nationalists of 17 years old as of 31st December during the year of admission.
• Should clear class 12 (10+2) standard from a science stream having Physics, Chemistry, and Biology subjects as compulsory with 50% marks at minimum.
• Candidates should be medically fit.

PG level

• Candidates should have completed a BDS degree with an internship with at least 55% aggregate score (or college's required percentage) from an institution recognized by the Dental Council of India (DCI).

Ph.D. level

•  Candidates must clear a PG degree in the same field from a recognized college.

Admissions to Top Dental Colleges in India

Admissions to UG dental courses are made through NEET after Class 12 or equivalent. Admissions are either merit-based or entrance-based or allow direct admissions based on previous class examination performance.

Certain colleges require candidates to qualify for the pre-medical tests (PMT) at the national and state levels.

After cracking the entrance exam, candidates must submit proper documents and proof of application fee payment (if charged) during the counseling rounds.

Cut Offs for Top Dental Colleges in India

Key factors like difficulty level of exam, total seats per college, cut-off trends, etc., decide the cut-off. Right after the declaration of the results, the education officials released the cut-off for the multiple programs separately.

To get more insights on the cut-off score and boost exam preparation, refer to the latest cut-off of various entrance exams mentioned below.

NEET Cut Off

National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is a national entrance examination for admissions into medical, dental, etc., for UG and PG programs conducted once a year. The NTA released the cut off percentiles scores. Two different quotas; are released under the NEET cut off namely, the State Quota and All India Quota (AIQ). The candidates must clear the NEET cut off belonging under the quota to proceed for NEET counsellings. The NEET Cut off marks for the different category according to the marks range with the qualifying percentile includes below;

PGIMER Cut Off

Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh approved by UGC, MCI, INC, offers UG and PG programs with various specializations. 

Admissions depend on the score/marks obtained in the All-India entrance exam conducted by PGIMER.

Candidates can refer to the expected cut off by percentile category-wise cited below in the table.

Scope of Dentistry in India

A respectful field catering service to humanity, the dental field itself opens advantages to multiple career scope. After earning a BDS degree, the candidates can add the prefix "Dr" as Doctor before their respective names.

However, a BDS degree is not sufficient to practice dentistry. Pursuing a Master of Dental Science (MDS) is the perfect profile under the profession. The higher the level of education, the greater is the career aspect.

One can open a private or government hospital/dental clinic, join education institutions, run a business, join IT companies or be a social worker.

Areas of Employment

• Private and Government Medical Hospitals
• Nursing Homes
• Medical insurance firms
• Dental Clinics/Departments
• Teaching departments
• Research Centres/Institutes
• Pharmaceutical industries
• Dental Care and Products companies
• Civil services

Job Opportunities

• General Dentist (DDS)
• Periodontist
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
• Orthodontist
• Forensic Dentistry
• Dental Assistants
• Dental Hygienists
• Dental Laboratory Technicians
• Public Health Specialist
• Lecturer/Professor
• Medical Representative

Dental Placements in India

There are placement opportunities offered by many of the top dental colleges across the country. Placements play a vital role in giving students the chance to grow skills in their subjects or knowledge about their career choice and employability skills.

Many candidates are not aware of their specialization, as the placement options depend on the specializations taken.

Salaries for dentists are lucrative in India and abroad. According to Glassdoor, the average salary for a dentist in India is INR 4,65,975 per year.

Top Dental Recruiters

According to the college's official website, the top recruiters from the top dental colleges across the country are listed in the table below.

Some of the few popular dental companies in India are;

• Nimbles Biotech
• Mediquest Pharma
• Lifevision Healthcare
• Sonika Life Sciences
• Medirin Pharma

Average Salary Offered in Top Dental Colleges in India

It is well-known that dentistry offers lucrative opportunities and high-paying jobs anywhere in the world.

The average salary per annum for a dentist, according to PayScale, is INR 3,05,923 in India. Depending on the experience count in the dental field, the average salaries per year are as follows

• Entry-level ( less than one year experience)- INR 2,41,893
• Early career Dentist (1-4 year experience)- INR 2,94,100
• Mid-career Dentist ( 5-9 year experience)- INR 442,186
• Professional Level ( 10-19 year experience)- INR 7,04,682

We've listed the various job skills with their average base salary per annum in dentistry by PayScale report below.

FAQs

1. Which are the best dental colleges in India?
   As per renowned ranking sources, the top dental colleges/universities in India include:
   • Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, Delhi
   • Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Udupi
   • Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune
   • Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai
   • A. B. S. M. Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangaluru
   • Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore
2. Is the BDS course better than MBBS?
   The two courses are very much important and rewarding. Although MBBS is mostly preferred over BDS, they have their benefits. Moreover, it depends on the candidate's interests.  Candidates can work as a dentist after a BDS degree. On the contrary, one has to pursue MS/MD after MBBS for employability. The earning of MBBS doctor is a little late, whereas dentists earn early after the BDS course.
3. What are the marks required in NEET to get into BDS?
   A candidate can attempt to obtain more than 450+ marks in the NEET exam to get a seat in a BDS program.
4. Is a Dental course possible through distance education?
   It depends. Some colleges/universities encourage dental on a full-time basis only.