Public Health Dentistry

HOD's Message


Public health dentistry is a unique subject in dentistry which primarily deals with prevention of oral diseases at community level. Prevention is the cornerstone of public health philosophy. It encompasses all the preventive measures which are amenable to be implemented at community level through community dental programs. Planning, organizing, implementing and evaluating such programs fall under the purview of dental public health. School Dental health screening, School Dental health education, School based pit and fissure sealant application program, School based fluoride mouth rinsing program are few examples for dental public health measures.

Unlike other disciplines of dentistry, public health dentistry believes in taking the dental health services to the community at their doorsteps. Outreach programs such as dental camps are done in the community settings, viz; rural areas, shelter homes, schools and specially schools having vulnerable children, industries etc. Mobile Dental Unit (MDU, ‘Dentistry on wheels’) is designed for the same purpose. It works on the principle of equitable distribution. Under graduate students and postgraduate students are trained to deliver services to vulnerable community through the MDU. Six peripheral dental health care centers are established in four government hospitals (Corporation hospital NR Colony, Primary health center Kumaraswamy Layout, Urban primary health center Konankunte, Referral hospital Hoskerahalli ), Government  Hospital, Kathriguppe and one in a NGO (Abhalashrama) by the college which are within the radius of 5kms. Interns and post graduate students are posted to these centers regularly and on rotation. These centers provide a rich clinical experience to the students.

Research is an important focus area of activity in the department. Apart from PG research even UG research is also promoted. Students submit their research and also present their research in various conferences. Teaching and conducting ‘Research Methodology and Biostatistics’ workshops are added activities of the department.
Department of Public health dentistry creates and provides rich learning experience to the students through clinical case discussions and treatment, visits to peripheral centers, field visits, project assignments, seminars and regular didactics to the students. Innovative methods of learning are being
implemented to enrich the process of learning. Emphasis is placed on activity based learning and active learning.

Goals:

  1. To establish more peripheral centers in subsequent years.
  2. To convert the department into a reputed learning centre of “Research Methodology, Oral Epidemiology and Biostatistics” at the end of 5 years.
  3. To incorporate more innovative learning methods in teaching like, --- Concept mapping, Team based learning, Interprofessional education by the end of one year.
  4. To adopt learner centered educational methods by the end of one year.
  5. To implement incremental dental care for school children in our adopted school, Dayananda Sagar schools within 2 years of time.
  6. To adopt a village and provide comprehensive oral health care for all the residents of the village by the end of 2 years.

Dr. Avinash J
Head of the Department
Department of Public Health Dentistry
e-mail: avinashj@dscds.edu.in
Ph: 9845200492
IAPHD Life Member
Vice President, IAPHD