A letter by Niti Aayog inviting the DCI stated that in the said meeting it was decided to explore the option of allowing dentists to practice family medicine/mainstream medicine following a bridge course. A meeting to discuss the issues on leveraging dentists to provide primary health care in order to reduce the gaps of shortage of doctors was scheduled for April 22, 2019. The DCI had last year also sent a proposal to the medical education regulator, the Medical Council of India, but it was not taken forward.
The DCI has proposed a post Bachelor of Dental Science (BDS) bridge course running for 3 years. The council submitted that admission would be either through a common entrance exam or through cumulative marks secured in the BDS course, or a combination. According to the DCI, the syllabus, scheme of examination, method of evaluation, degrees and registration will all be the same as…
