Introduction :
This department was established in
the year 1987 for the undergraduates under the able
guidance of Dr. B.R. Ashok Kumar M.D.S. Since then it
has taken quantum leaps in terms of its expansion and
resource
fullness. It is a rare branch of specialization in
dentistry. The branch deals with preventive and
community aspects in addition to restorative and
curative services for individual patients. This branch
shows a different role of dentist in society as a
provider of preventive, restorative and curative
clinical services i.e., comprehensive care to the public
at large. Urbanization, increasing levels of education
and standard of living and better health consciousness
are bound to make community dentistry an important
discipline
Recognition
status for the undergraduate department was obtained in
1990, to add to it the postgraduate course started in
1991 with the initial intake of two students per year,
affiliated to Karnataka University, Dharwad. From
September 1996 the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health
Sciences, Bangalore took over and gradually from 2002,
onwards the department has increased the intake by one
seat, thus bringing up the total to three postgraduate
seats.
Under the above
guidelines, the main motto of the department of
Preventive and Community Dentistry is "Prevention is
better than cure". This is spread to the masses by means
of well-organized school and Community Dental Health
education programmes.
All the above
activities help in creating awareness among the rural
population. The Undergraduates and the Postgraduates
conduct epidemiological surveys and health education
sessions for individuals and groups. Students are
trained to develop communicating orientation and
community responsibility. This subject has all the
potential to change the very scenario of dentistry and
oral health status for the good. The subject of
community dentistry (Public Health Dentistry) is of
vital importance to the undergraduates as well as for
postgraduate students. |
