Karnataka needs more than two govt dental colleges: Dentist who won Rajyotsava Award

Periodontist Dr A R Pradeep, 63, who worked at the Government Dental College in Bengaluru for 33 years was awarded the Rajyotsava Award on Monday.

He is currently heading Oxford Dental College in the city post-retirement from government service. He was awarded not just for his three decades of service in the government hospital but also because he has 240 research papers to his credit.

Though the state government had decided not to open any new government dental college for the next five years in 2019 because of vacant seats, the doctor suggested more should be opened.

"There are only two government dental colleges in the state in Bengaluru and Ballari as opposed to 42 private dental colleges. Ideally, there should be at least five, especially in districts with large populations. The country has 313 dental institutes and Karnataka has 44. It is also important that it is attached to a medical college and is not independent," he said.

"In many of the private dental colleges, seats are vacant due to Covid in the past two years," Dr Pradeep told DH. While a government quota seat can cost under Rs 50,000 per year, fee for management quota students can go up to Rs 7.5 lakh per annum.

The Karnataka State Dental Council, which has 40,000 dentists registered with it, while appreciating the dentist for winning this honour, brought to the fore the fact that several dental procedures are not covered under the Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka (AB-ArK) scheme. Also, the State's Oral Health Policy that was drafted years ago hasn't been rolled out yet. More than 25 lakh people in the state lack dentures.

Dr Rajkumar S Alle, Executive Committee member of the Karnataka State Dental Council said, "A dentist being awarded the Rajyotsava Award will definitely bring recognition to our profession. On the professional front, the state is yet to notify and implement an exhaustive state oral health policy which is limited to Dantha Bhagya now, which is available for senior citizens only.

We have given a requisition for dental care for children, gum diseases control in adults, dental restoration and replacements, and orthodontic treatments to be covered by the government. In Andhra Pradesh's Arogyashri, all dental treatments are covered. If it is similarly implemented in Karnataka, public can go to a private empanelled hospital and get the procedures done.

"Only dental hospitalisations arising out of, for example, accident and trauma, are covered under AB-ArK. Preventive care is not covered," he said.

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