Overview
The Department of Public Health Dentistry at MCODS Manipal was established in 1983.It is dedicated to training graduate and undergraduate students in public health dentistry to work within interdisciplinary teams investigating the risk factors for oral disease, their relation to systemic disease and on the use of oral epidemiological methods to study health outcomes of dental services and oral health policy. Public Health Dentistry is a subject designed to help the student to explore professional ethics as they relate to dentist’s relationships to peers, patients and the community. Students attend dental camps and perform initial screening examinations. They are sensitised to specific needs of a variety of patient populations.
Core competencies
- Epidemiological research
- Clinical training
- Oral Health Promotion.
Key features
- Extensive outreach program covering more than 20,000 patients annually.
- Multidisciplinary research activities.
- Mobile dental clinic.
- Urban dental health centre for clinical training.
- International collaborations.
- Widely regarded as the best place for a post-graduation in Public Health Dentistry.
Collaborations
- Various humanitarian organisations like Rotary, Lions, Junior Chambers, Giants Group for oral health outreach activities.
The Department celebrated the golden jubilee of MCODS Manipal by hosting the National Conference of the Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry in Manipal in 2015 and it supports continuing dental education by organising CPD programs for the benefit of the dental fraternity.
Academics
The Department of Public Health Dentistry offers programs for both undergraduate and post graduates students.
Research
The scope for research activity is wide with epidemiological studies, behavioural sciences research as well as clinical trials being carried out in equal measure.
Patient care
Department has an extensive outreach program, where dental care is delivered to surrounding areas.
Labs & Facilities
A mobile dental van is equipped to screen under-served rural and urban communities for common oral health conditions and to raise awareness. The newly designed Mobile Dental Clinic has two dental chairs in the treatment area, a spacious waiting area, a Television, and a Wi-Fi router. It is specifically designed to travel on narrow roads in rural communities.
Tobacco cessation centre
The Tobacco Cessation Centre is an initiative of the Dept of Public Health Dentistry in association with the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology and the Department of Respiratory Medicine, where Tobacco cessation counselling and Dietary counselling will be provided to patients who want to quit tobacco usage. The TCC is equipped with a Carbon Monoxide breath Analyzer and a television with wifi router for virtual counseling facilities of patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis.
Faculty
Research & Publications
The area of research includes, Clinical trials of anti caries agents, Population oral health and Behavioural sciences in oral health