MBBS vs. BDS: Which is a Better Option for a Career in Medicine?

Dentist is one of the professions in the field of medical. The job of a dentist is to cure all the problems concerning the mouth that include teeth, oral cavity, and gums. The job deals with repairing and preventing a decay tooth, making models of teeth for using it as a substitute, and filling cavities. There are many forms of dentists. Some of them are Periodontists, Oral Surgeons, Endodontists, and Orthodontists, and Prosthodontists. The field not only deals with tooth problems and cavities but also deals with tongue. Salivary gland, neck, jaws, and nervous system making it a vast area of studies.

To become a dentist, students have to pursue Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS Degree) or Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery courses (MBBS Degree) in Dentistry. There has been a good demand for dentists not only in India but also abroad.

What are the types of Dentists?

As discussed before, dentists have major professions within. These are discussed in details below:

1. Oral Surgeons: As the name suggests, they have to perform surgeries related to mouth. They have to perform complicated surgeries to treat tumours, unnecessary growth in gums, extractions, and other related jobs.

2. Periodontists: The supporting tissues in our mouth are referred to as periodontium (gingiva, alveolar bone, and others). Dentists who specialise with periodontal diseases are known as Periodontists. They do the diagnosis and treatment of these issues.

3. Orthodontists: The job of Orthodontists refers to the study of medical histories and dental records. Accordingly, they have to design teeth models and make treatment plans for patients. They specialise in dental appliances and devices that are needed to be fit in a patient's mouth for proper working.

4. Prosthodontists: They are specialised in the prosthetics of teeth. They construct artificial teeth to replace the decay tooth. These prosthetics promote healthy functions of oral activities that include chewing and speaking.

5. Endodontists: They work with the nervous system of the tooth. These include blood vessels in jaws and root canals. They specialise in the tooth's root canal.

6. Pedodontists: The dentists who are specialised in treating children’s tooth activity.

What are the Employment Opportunities in Dentistry?

The career options in Dentistry are widespread. After having a MBBS and BDS degree, one can work in one of these sectors. Some of these include:

1. Public Sector Undertaking Dental Facilities

2. Dental Departments

3. Nursing Homes

4. Dental Clinics

5. Health Departments

6. Dental Institutes

7. Pharmaceutical Companies

8. Private Hospitals

9. Government Dental Departments

10. Dental Colleges

What are some top companies that offer the best jobs in Dentistry?

After having a BDS and MBBS degree, one can work in one and gain experience and look for jobs in one of these hospitals. They are:

1. Aspen Dental

2. Practo

3. Clovia Dental Clinic

4. FMS Dental Hospitals

5. Max Hospital

6. Fortis

7. Artemis

What is the scope in Dentistry?

These are a few stats that support Dentistry as a career and the reasons to pursue MBBS and BDS courses:

1. The overall employment opportunities are expected to grow by 3% in the coming ten years. This estimate is almost equal to the job opportunities in other job opportunities.

2. In the current studies, researchers are linking oral health with overall health and thus demand for Dentists is estimated to increase.

3. There is a good demand for Dentists abroad. It is noted that Europe has a need for many professionals in the field of dentistry. So, one has a good scope abroad as a Dentist.

What are the salaries offered to the different professionals in the field of Dentistry?

These are the salaries and job openings every year of different professions in the field of Dentists. Some data for professions like Endodontists are unavailable but is estimated collectively.

These are some statistics that are according to the different industries professionals in this field look up to.

Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS courses)

BDS course is a 5-year undergraduate course. People after getting a BDS degree officially get the title Dr and they become a general practitioner. Many people do this course after MBBS to specialise in a particular medical field. It is estimated that BDS is one of the top courses after MBBS. The course of BDS includes everything a general practitioner should know in the field of Dentistry. Various dental problems and related surgeries are involved. One-year BDS training (internship program) is involved in this 5-year course too.

One will study following subjects in a BDS course –

In first year, one studies these topics:

1. General Anatomy

2. Dental Anatomy and Embryology

3. Embryology and Histology

4. Oral Histology

5. General Human Physiology

6. General Biochemistry

In second year, one studies these topics:

1. Dental Materials

2. General Pathology and Microbiology

3. General Pharmacology and Therapeutics

4. Pre-Clinical Prosthodontics & Crown & Bridge

5. Preclinical Conservative Dentistry

6. Dental Pharmacology and Therapeutics

In third year, one studies these topics:

1. Oral Pathology

2. General Medicine

3. Oral Microbiology

4. General Surgery

In fourth year, one studies these topics:

1. Oral Medicine

2. Radiology

3. Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics

4. Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics

5. Prosthodontics and Crown and Bridge

6. Public Health Dentistry

7. Periodontology

8. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

9. Paediatric and Preventive Dentistry

These are the subjects of four years. In the fifth year, one has an internship moreover known as BDS training.

What are the other details related to BDS courses?

All other details one requires to have before going for a BDS degree are:

Eligibility:

1. Overall eligibility required in this course is minimum of 50% marks in 10+2

2. Physics, Biology, and Chemistry should be the main subjects in 10+2.

3. Maximum Age Limit is 25 years for this course

4. Minimum Age Limit is 17 years for this course

The average estimated fees for BDS courses are ₹12,00,000 per annum.

Admission: The admission to these courses are either through NEET or exams that the institute conducts. One should have a minimum of 40% marks in the NEET exams.

What are the top colleges that offer BDS courses?

Some of the best colleges that offer BDS courses:

1. Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences

2. Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore

3. S.D.M. College of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Dharwad

4. Government Dental College, Mumbai

5. A B Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore

Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS Courses)

MBBS is a 5.5-year undergraduate program in our country. The course acknowledges all the areas of medicine and its various disciplines. After completing their MBBS degree, people become certified doctors. In the final year of this course, students take part in training programs to have a better understanding of the field.

What are the course details?

These are the following details one need to have before pursuing a MBBS degree:

Eligibility:

1. Overall eligibility required in this course is minimum of 50% marks in 10+2

2. Physics, Biology, and Chemistry should be the main subjects in 10+2.

The average estimated fees for MBBS courses are 7.5 lakhs for full course in government colleges and 20 lakhs to 80 lakhs for full course in private colleges.

3. Admission: The admission to these courses are through NEET, AIIMS, and JIPMER exams. The candidates have to clear this exam to get admission into this course.

What are the top colleges that offer MBBS:

1. AIIMS New Delhi

2. PGIMER, Chandigarh

3. Kasturba Medical College, Manipal

4. MS Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore

5. Armed Forces Medical College, Pune

MBBS vs BDS Courses

One often gets confused after 12th in choosing a desired course in the field of Medical. These are some of the comparisons that will help you decide better in this career.

One should go for BDS if they are determined to pursue their career as a Dentist. However, if one is not sure about the field, they should go for MBBS courses and learn about different aspects and fields of medicine and later decide their specialization.

Any one online course to pursue after MBBS or BDS

One can go for the following course online:

Pharmaceutical and Medicine Device Innovations-

One can go for this course to understand the technical advancement in this field. This course is available on Coursera and is offered by University of Minnesota. One can complete this course in approximately 13 hours. It is a total online course. One has to go through the courses and later submit a project. After the completion of these processes, one gets their certificates.

It is a beginner level course. It is a 7-day free trial course and later one has to pay ₹3,589.