CURRENT SITUATION OF DENTAL TRAINING IN INDIA:

The training programme that is presently in vogue in India is more of a piece-meal approach, with separate departments providing individualistic treatments to the patients. Even though they acquire the required knowledge and skill set essential for clinical practice, treatment approach is more departmentalized. Separate treatments are rendered in separate departments and students rarely get to observe the effect of all treatments in improving the overall oral and general health of the patients.
Treatment issues apart, dental graduates might find it difficult to cope up with other issues like management of patients, appointments and scheduling, collection of payments, etc.
This is in stark contrast to the situation that dental students encounter once they finish their graduate programme and enter clinical practice. Hence, there is a definite need to incorporate a more holistic approach in dental education, an approach that will integrate basic knowledge and skill sets along with management of the patient as a whole. General Dentistry is one such initiative which is being undertaken to bridge the gap between training that students receive in dental institutions and ground realities of private practice.
The current initiative of GENERAL DENTISTRY is being undertaken for the first time in India by SDM.

GENERAL DENTISTRY:

General dentistry is the only non-specialty field of dentistry in which dental students concentrate more on basic oral care. General dentists typically do not focus their clinical practice on any particular discipline within dentistry, and instead provide essential care within a variety of disciplines.  

General Dentist:

         The general dentist is defined as someone who can evaluate, diagnose, and treat diseases or conditions of the mouth and surrounding tissue. They are considered g-dentists as they have not specialized in one of the more specific fields of dentistry, but he/she is also a qualified dentist (by law).
General dentists provide services related to the general maintenance of oral hygiene and tooth health. Most general dentists perform prosthetic, restorative, and periodontal and endodontic therapy. General practitioners, unlike specialists, have the luxury of choosing which services they will provide and which they will refer to specialists.

To provide training to dental graduate students which will enhance their ability to formulate and execute a well-planned, well-sequenced treatment plan that integrates the various disciplines and which will ultimately aid the dental graduate students in becoming competent general dental practitioners.

1. Space
2. Equipment
3. Material
4. Personal
5. Process

III a) SPACE:   5300 sq ft
           

1. Space for dental units
2. Space for X ray units
3. Space for lab work
4. Space for faculty
5. Space for receptionist
6. Space for patient waiting
7. Space for sterilization
8. Space for storage of materials

III b) EQUIPMENT

1. Cubicles with wash basin, instruments and material storage and with concealed cable connection.
2. Dental unit’s with three way syringe, Micro motor, Aerotor, scalers and provision for light cure.
3. Instruments related to extraction.
4. Instruments related to filling.                          
1. Instruments related to esthetic restorations
5. Instruments related to replacement.
6. Instruments related to cleaning of teeth.
7. Central sterilization

                        
III c) MATERIALS

1. Materials related to extraction
2. Materials related to fillings
3. Materials related to periodontal therapy
4. Materials related to prosthetics

III d) PERSONNEL

1. Faculty:
1. Administrator
2. Oral surgeon
3. Prosthodontist
4. Endodontist
5. Periodontist
2. Attenders – 3
3. Nurse – 2
4. Cleaners – 2
5. Receptionist – 1
6. Lab technician – 1
7. X ray technician – 1
8. Data entry operator – 1

III e) PROCESS:

Patients will be referred to the Department of General Dentistry from:  

1. Camps organized by the Department of Community Dentistry
2. Department of Oral Medicine, where patients hailing from far off places who cannot keep multiple appointments.
3. Other department receptionists who can identify patients with multiple treatments.
4. Other departments where patients who are given delayed appointments require immediate care.    

 
Once patients enter the Department of General Dentistry, the basic data of the patient will be entered into a computer by a receptionist and will direct the patient to the operating area. The patient will be allocated to one particular trainee who will evaluate, arrive at a diagnosis and formulate a treatment plan.
            The trainee will then consult a faculty member regarding the diagnosis and treatment plan. After obtaining approval from the faculty member regarding the same, the patient will be provided the appropriate treatment under the supervision of concerned faculty. The patient will thus be provided comprehensive treatment by a single trainee under a single roof.
            The details regarding various treatments rendered to the patients will be entered in the computer by the receptionist. Other pertinent details regarding payments, further appointments will also be entered into the computer.
            Once the basic oral health problems are addressed in the Department of General Dentistry, the patients will be referred to concerned departments if further specialized care is deemed essential.

The following treatment modalities will be provided to the patients:

• Examination, diagnosis and treatment planning.
• Conservative treatment.
• Prosthetic treatment.
• Routine endodontic therapy.
• Routine periodontal therapy.
• Simple exodontia.