Updated on Jan 31, 2025 04:03 IST
Parul Thapa

Parul ThapaSenior Executive Content

BDS course is an undergraduate degree programme. Candidates who want to make a career in Dentistry can pursue a BDS course. The course duration is 5-year including one year mandatory internship. BDS is one of the most sought after courses after MBBS. Due to rising dental issues, these professionals are in great demand in both private and government sectors. After finishing BDS course, candidates can easily get jobs in Dental clinics, government hospitals, Pharmaceutical companies etc. They can also start private practice after finishing a course in BDS.

Also Read: NEET Prep Questions with Solutions 2023: Free PDF Download

BDS Course Highlights

Particulars

Details

Course name

Bachelor of Dental Surgery

Knows as

BDS

Course level

Undergraduate

Course type

Degree programme

Course duration

5-year

Minimum qualification

10+2

Admission process

Entrance Exam (NEET)

Average course fee

INR 1-6 lakh

Average salary

INR 4-6 lakh

Top recruiters

Hospitals, Dental Clinics, Educational Institutes, Dental Product Manufacturers etc.

BDS Course Admission Process

National Eligibility cum Entrance Test is the single exam which enables candidates to get admission to BDS courses. Institutes providing courses in BDS only accept NEET scores. Candidates will have to apply online for admission. The whole admission process involves online registration, application form submission, release of the admit card, appearing for offline entrance exam, result declaration and counselling for seat allocation. Candidates have to apply for the entrance test in the given deadline provided by the exam conducting body. Candidates should check their eligibility before applying for admission in the BDS course. After submission of application form, candidates get admit card and appear for the offline test. Those who score the minimum cutoff marks are declared qualified for the exam and they are eligible for counselling process for seat allotment in BDS course.

BDS Course: Top College and Fee Structure

There are a number of colleges offering BDS courses, including both government and private BDS colleges. While choosing college for the admission to the Bachelor programme in Dentistry, candidates consider a number of factors including the fee structure and the placement opportunities they provide. The government colleges generally charge a lesser fee than that of the private colleges. The table given below enlists some of the top colleges for BDS courses and the average course fee.

Name of the College

Average Course Fee

Faculty of Dental Sciences, IMS BHU, Varanasi

Around INR 1 lakh

Maulana Azad Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi

INR 1 to 1.5 lakh

Faculty of Dental Sciences King George's Medical University, Lucknow

INR 1.5 to 2 lakh

Government Dental College and Hospital, Mumbai

INR 2 to 2.5 lakh

Dr R Ahmed Dental College and Hospital, Kolkata

Around INR 1 lakh

Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mengaluru

INR 25 to 30 lakh

Also Read: Are you preparing for NEET? Click here for Class 11 & 12 NCERT Solutions 

Physics 11th NCERT Solutions Click here Chemistry 11th NCERT Solutions Click here
Physics 12th NCERT Solutions Click here -

BDS Course Syllabus

Candidates have to study a number of subjects in 4-year BDS course (excluding internship). The course curriculum has been designed to make candidates learn all aspects of Dentistry. From Human Anatomy, Physiology to Oral surgery and pathology, all important facets are covered in the BDS syllabus. The table given below highlights a year-wise subject list for BDS courses.

First Year

 

Semester I

Semester II

General Human Anatomy including Embryology and Histology

Dental Materials

General Human Physiology and Biochemistry, Nutrition and Dietetics

Preclinical Prosthodontics and Crown and Bridge

Dental Anatomy, embryology, and Oral Histology

 

Second Year

 

Semester III

Semester IV

General Pathology and Microbiology

Preclinical Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge

General and Dental Pharmacology and Therapeutics

Oral Pathology & Oral Microbiology

Preclinical Conservative Dentistry

 

Third Year

 

Semester V

Semester VI

General Medicine

Oral And Maxillofacial Surgery

General Surgery

Oral Medicine And Radiology

Oral Pathology & Microbiology

Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopaedics

Conservative Dentistry And Endodontics

Pediatric & Preventive Dentistry

Fourth Year

 

Semester VII

Semester VIII

Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Oral Medicine and Radiology

Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge

Paediatric and Preventive Dentistry

Conservative Dentistry And Endodontics

Periodontology

Conservative Dentistry And Endodontics

Popular Specialisations After BDS

  • Dental Mechanic
  • Prosthodontics
  • Periodontics
  • Conservative
  • Dentistry Surgery

Postgraduate Courses After BDS

Candidates have options to do a Master's course in different specialisations in dentistry after BDS. Some of the Master's courses after BDS are as follows:

  • Masters in Dental Surgery
  • Master of Dental Surgery in Endodontics and Conservative Dentistry
  • Master of Dental Surgery in Pediatric Dentistry
  • Master of Dental Surgery in Radiology and  Oral Medicine
  • Master of Dental Surgery in Pedodontia and Preventative Dentistry
  • Master of Dental Surgery in Preventive Community

Upcoming Trends in BDS

BDS is one of the evolving fields where technology and innovative practices have played a key role to provide better care to people. Computer-aided design and 3D Printer have given diagnosis and whole treatment aspect a giant leap. Some of teh upcoming trends have been enlisted below:

  • Structural implantations
  • Dental Aligners
  • 3D printing and scan
  • CAD, CAM machining systems

 

BDS Courses: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. How many subjects are taught in a BDS course?

A. Students of BDS have to study a range of subjects covering various aspects of Dentistry. They have to study around 15 subjects as part of the BDS course curriculum.

Q How many semesters are there in a 5-year BDS course?

A. The BDS is a 5-year bachelor course. A total of eight semesters are there in the BDS syllabus where different aspects of Dental issues and oral surgery are covered.

Q. What is the eligibility criteria for admission to a BDS course?

A. Candidates should have completed class 12th with Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Candidates have to appear for the NEET exam conducted by NTA and score the minimum cutoff score.

Q. Is BDS a good career move?

A. Yes, BDS is one of the most sought after courses after MBBS in the medical stream. After completing BDS course, candidates get employed easily at dental clinics, dental departments in the government hospitals. They can also do private practice.

Q. What are the career options after finishing a BDS course?

A. Candidates can work on different profiles after finishing the bachelor course in Dentistry. They can work as dental surgeons, dental assistants, and oral pathologist. They can also opt for teaching jobs in medical college.

Q. Is BDS equivalent to MBBS?

A. Yes. BDS is undergraduate degree programme in dental field while MBBS is undergraduate degree programme in medicine field. There are some common subjects which are taught in both MBBS and BDS courses.

Q Can BDS graduate do surgery?

A. Yes, BDS graduates can perform only dental surgery. 

Q. Is NEET requited for BDS?

A. Yes, candidates need to qualify NEET exam to get admission to BDS course.

Q. Is BDS undergraduate degree course?

A. Yes, BDS is an undergraduate degree course in Dentistry. The course duration is 5 years.

Q. How many marks are required in NEET for BDS admission?

A. The cutoff marks depends upon a number of factors such as difficulty level of teh exam, number of applicants, category etc. The cutoff for BDS varies from one year to another. Candidates have to score at least 450 marks in NEET exam for BDS admission.

Q. What is the average salary of BDS graduate?

A. The average salary of BDS graduates is INR 4 to 6 lakh. The salary goes up with the experience and job responsibilities. 

Popular BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) Colleges in India

Following are the most popular BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) Colleges in India. Learn more about these BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) colleges (Courses, Reviews, Answers & more) by downloading the Brochure.
1 K - 6.08 K
12 - 24 LPA

#1 NIRF

300 - 2.67 L
4.34 - 12.09 LPA

#3 NIRF

111 Courses
7.11 K - 19.5 L
7.53 - 18 LPA

#2 NIRF

130 - 46.58 K
6 - 24 LPA

#5 NIRF

650 - 2 L
12.2 - 24.1 LPA

#14 NIRF

59 Courses
9.48 K - 1.56 L
4.0

#4 NIRF

Popular Private BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) Colleges in India

2.2 L - 10.08 L
3.15 LPA

Top 15 in Bangalore

Medicine & Health Sciences Applications open. Apply Now

1.8 L - 6.4 L
7.55 - 8.25 LPA
7 Courses
1 L - 2.2 L
3.5 LPA
2 L - 16.11 L
4.5 LPA

Top 25 in India

6.5 K - 2.86 L
3.0
5 Courses
2.6 L - 7.2 L
6 LPA
qna

Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered 4 days ago

Hi, the below mentioned BDS colleges in Tamil Nadu are rated by the students for their faculty quality:

College NameTuition FeeFaculty Rating
Chettinad Dental College and Research Institute-5.0/5.0
RVS Dental College and HospitalINR 12.5 lakh5.0/5.0
Karpaga Vinayaga Institute of Dental SciencesINR 12.5 lakh5.0/5.0
Thai Moogambigai Dental College and Hospital INR 16 lakh5.0/5.0
SRMIST Chennai RamapuramINR 22 lakh5.0/5.0

Hope this helps!

A

Aneena Abraham

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 4 days ago

Hi, you can refer to the table below for the best BDS colleges in Tamil Nadu that offer quality education with modern equipments, etc.:

College NameTuition FeeInfrastructure Rating
Chettinad Dental College and Research Institute-5.0/5.0
Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology-5.0/5.0
SRM Dental CollegeINR 15.6 lakh5.0/5.0
SIMTSINR 43 lakh5.0/5.0
SRMIST Chennai Ramapuram CampusINR 22 lakh5.0/5.0

Hope this solved your query!

A

Aneena Abraham

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 4 days ago

MDS courses are PG degree focusing on advanced dental specialities, while BDS is an undergraduate degree providing general dental education.

Candidates can check the table below to see the comparison between the two courses.

Particulars

MDS

BDS

Course Name

Master of Dental Surgery

Bachelor of Dental Surgery

Course Level

Postgraduate

Undergraduate

Course Duration

3 years

5 years

Course Fees

INR 5 Lakh and INR 15 Lakh

INR 16,500 - INR 42.5 Lakh

Admission Process

Entrance-Based

Entrance-Based

Eligibility Criteria

BDS with 50% scores

Class 12 & NEET

Entrance Exams

NEET MDS, INI CET

NEET & KEAM 

Popular Colleges

AIIMS Delhi, King George's Medical University, JIPMER Puducherry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences

KGMU, SRIHER, SRM Dental College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, etc. 

Job Profiles

Endodontists, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, Orthodontists, Oral Surgeons, etc.

Dentists, Dental officers in Defense Services, Dentists in Indian Railways, Lecturers, Researchers, etc.

Average Salary

INR 3 LPA - INR 5 LPA

INR 3 LPA - INR 9 LPA

Top Recruiters

Hospitals, Academics, Researchers, Scientists, Administration, etc.

Hospitals, Dental Clinics, Educational Institutes, Dental Product Manufacturers etc.

Note: This information is sourced from the official website and may vary.

M

Mani Sahni

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 4 days ago

Candidates must pass Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology with at least 50% aggregate (40% aggregate for SC/ ST/ OBC Categories) to apply for Bhojia Dental College & Hospital BDS programme. Aspirants must hold the documents proving their eligibility for verification at the time of admission.

N

Nishtha Shukla

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

Candidates willing to get admission at DY Patil Dental College and Hospital for BDS must have a valid NEET (UG) rank. NEET-qualified candidates are required to register for the NEET (UG) counselling conducted by MCC for seat allocation. After appearing for the entrance exam, aspirants can follow the

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

Over the past three years, the cut-off rank required for DY Patil Dental College Pune BDS admission has shown a declining trend. The closing rank during the last round of counselling was 6,90,460 for the General AI category students. It was 9,42,299 in 2023 and 10,27,795 in 2022. Analysing the cut-o

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

DY Patil Dental College Pune provides BDS admission to candidates who have a valid NEET UG rank. Those who clear the required NEET UG cut-off are allocated seats through various counselling rounds conducted by the MCC. In 2024, the last NEET UG rank at which BDS admission was provided to General (Al

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

The BDS curriculum followed at DY Patil Dental College Pune is spread over five years. The initial years focus on foundational sciences, such as Anatomy,  Physiology, Biochemistry, and Dental Materials. Para-clinical years cover subjects like Pathology, Microbiology, Pharmacology, and General Medici

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

Yes, to get awarded with a BDS degree at DY Patil Dental College Pune, students are required to undergo a compulsory internship of one year. It enables applicants to gain practical experience through clinical application of theoretical knowledge. It is a paid internship and it includes training in t

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

The selection process for BDS at DY Patil Dental College and Hospital is entrance-based. Aspirants are required to appear for NEET UG. Candidates with a valid NEET UG score must register on the MCC website for the counselling process. Seats are allocated to eligible candidates based on the merit lis

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

BDS graduates of DY Patil Dental College Pune, have a bright and promising career scope. The course trains them in various aspects of dental care, such as orthodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, oral surgery, etc. Some career opportunities available after completing BDS course at the college are

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

DY Patil Dental College Pune offers a full-time Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) courses at the undergraduate level. The annual intake for BDS at the college is of 100 students. These seats are filled through the MCC NEET UG counselling based on the NEET UG scores of the applicants. The mentioned se

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

After completing their degree at DY Patil Dental College and Hospital, BDS graduates can take up various government jobs. Some of the government job opportunities for BDS graduates of the college are listed below:

  • Dental Surgeon positions in Government Hospitals, Community Health Centers (CHCs), and

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

NEET UG is the accepted entrance exam for BDS admission at DY Patil Dental College and Hospital. Hence, aspirants must complete the NEET UG application process. The NEET UG application fee depends on the reservation category of candidates. The category-wise application fee are tabulated below:

Category

Application Fee (in INR)

General

1,700

General EWS and OBC

1,600

SC, ST, PwD

1,000

Outside India

9,500

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

DY Patil Dental College BDS admission is based on the counselling condcuted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC). As of now, MCC has not released the NEET UG counselling dates for the upcoming admission year (2025). It is expected to be released in July 2025. The counselling process usually st

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

NEET UG is the accepted entrance exam for admission to the BDS course of DY Patil Dental College. Hence, to secure a seat, candidates must complete the NEET UG registration process. As of now, the NTA has not released the complete schedule for NEET UG 2025. The registration process will tentatively

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

As per the official information available on the college's official website, the DY Patil Dental College, Pune BDS fee structure includes tuition fee, development fee, university-eligibility fee and hostel fee (with mess charges). The fees must be submitted in annual instalments, except for the univ

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

No, one can not take admission at DY Patil Dental College for a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programme without qualifying the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET). BDS seats at the college are based on the NEET UG counselling conducted by the MCC, which is based on the NEET UG ranks sec

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

Yes, a full-time Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) is available at DY Patil Dental College and Hospital, Pune. The duration of the programme is five year, including a compulsory internship of one year. A stipend is paid to students during the internship. The college offers 100 seats for its BDS cours

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

KGMU UP NEET cutoff 2024 was released in the form of opening and closing cutoff ranks. The cutoff was released for admission to MBBS course, for different categories under Home State quota. For students belonging to the General All India quota, the closing ranks for MBBS was 3484. For OBC Home State

...Read more

A

Atul Goyal

Beginner-Level 4

Answered a week ago

Both MAIDS, MAMC and Jamia Milia Islamia are well-known institutes offering BDS in Delhi. To decide which among the two provides better placements to BDS students, candidates can refer to the following table comparing the median salary packages offered at these institutes during BDS placements over

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

To ascertain which institute among Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences and PGIDS Rohtak is better for pursuing a BDS, candidates can refer to the following comparison table and make an informed choice:

ParticularsMAIDSPGIDS
Median PackageINR 14.35 LPAINR 8.5 LPA
NIRF Ranking 2024 (Dental)323
Shiksha Rating4.7/54.2/5

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences BDS placement report for 2024 has not been released by the institute yet. Meanwhile, interested candidates can refer to the following table for the median package offered to UG (5-year) students during MAIDS placements over the past three years, according to

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

85% of the total MAIDS BDS seats are filled through the Delhi (state quota) NEET counselling conducted by the Faculty Of Medical Sciences. The counselling process is typically conducted in August. The exact Delhi NEET counselling dates are yet to be released. In 2024, the registration process for th

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

MAIDS BDS counselling for 15% of the total seats is condcuted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) under the All India Quota (AIQ). MCC has not yet released the NEET UG counselling dates for the upcoming admission year (2025). It is expected to be released in July 2025. Meanwhile, candidates c

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

NEET UG is the accepted entrance exam for Maulana Azad Dental College BDS admission. As of now, the NTA has not released the complete schedule and application dates for NEET UG 2025. The NEET 2025 registration process will tentatively begin in the first week of March 2025. The registration window wi

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

To be eligible to pursue a BDS at MAIDS, MAMC, applicants must fulfil the following eligibility criteria:

  • Candidates must complete the age of 17 years on or before Dec 31 of the year of admission
  • Candidates must have passed Class 12, with an aggregate of at least 50% (40% for Scheduled Castes/Tribes)

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

To apply for BDS admission at Mauana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, aspirants must complete the NEET UG application process. The NEET UG application fee depends on the reservation category of candidates. The category-wise application fee are tabulated below:

Category

Application Fee (in INR)

General

1,700

General EWS and OBC

1,600

SC, ST, PwD

1,000

Outside India

9,500

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

Yes, BDS graduates of Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences are eligible for various jobs in the government sector. Some of these jobs are listed below:

  • Dental Surgeon positions in Government Hospitals, Community Health Centers (CHCs), and Primary Health Centers (PHCs)
  • Army Dental Corps (Indian Ar

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

MAIDS, MAMC BDS curriculum includes various theoretical and practical subjects. Some of these subjects are listed below:

  • Dental Anatomy, Embryology and Oral Histology 
  • General and Dental Pharmacology and Therapeutics
  • Dental Material
  • Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge
  • Conservatives Dentistry and Endodontic

...Read more

H

Himanshi Pandey

Contributor-Level 10

Find insights & recommendations on colleges and exams that you won't find anywhere else

On Shiksha, get access to

  • 64k Colleges
  • 968 Exams
  • 625k Reviews
  • 1500k Answers