BDS is one of the most popular and prestigious degrees for aspiring dentists in India. The Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) is the only educational and professional program that trains students in the field of dental surgery and related treatment.
The BDS course is indeed considered equivalent to MBBS in terms of professional recognition, as it grants the “Dr” prefix to its graduates.
The candidates must complete a BDS course from a recognised institute to pursue a career as a licensed dental practitioner in the country.
The BDS degree is awarded on the successful completion of the four-year academic education and the one year of mandatory internship programme in dentistry education leading to the Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree programme. After completing BDS course, the graduates will be qualified to practice as a dentist.
Is BDS considered a second choice for students after MBBS?
Well to some extent yes, MBBS is often the preferred career choice for medical students after 12th, but having said that BDS is also a highly job oriented field and offers numerous career opportunities in both India and abroad.
In the BDS course curriculum, the students are taught about the denture, dental problems and surgery. The dental council of India (DCI) is the only accredited body that regulates dental education in India.
BDS is considered a good job oriented degree programmes and offer job opportunities in the hospitals, dental clinics pharmaceutical companies and academic or research institutions.
BDS Course Details
BDS is one of the most sought-after professional medical course after 12th. The BDS course is a 5-year undergraduate program, including a 1-year compulsory internship, focused on dental health, surgeries, and related treatments.
For pursuing BDS, a candidates must have completed their 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology as mandatory subjects. The admission in the BDS programme offered by top dental colleges is based on the NEET UG scores.
Learn More About – Career in MBBS
Below is the key highlights of BDS courses after 12th:
| BDS Course | Details |
| BDS Full Form | Bachelor of Dental Surgery |
| BDS Course Level | Undergraduate (UG) |
| Course Duration | 5 years |
| BDS Eligibility | Passed 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry & Biology |
| BDS Entrance Exams | NEET UG |
| BDS Admission Process | MCC & State Counselling Process |
| BDS Course fee | INR 2 – 40 lakh |
| BDS Top Colleges | Saveetha University, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, MAIDS, SRM Dental College |
| BDS Average Salary | INR 4-8 LPA (Approx) |
| BDS Career Scope | Public & Private sector hospital, Dental Clinics |
| BDS Job Profiles | Oral Surgeon, Orthodontist, Dental Consultant, Lecturer/Professor |
| BDS Top Recruiters | State Government Hospitals, Apollo, Fortis, Clove Dental, Indian Army Dental Corps |
The Dental Council of India (DCI) is the only accredited body for the dental programmes. The BDS graduates have to register with DCI to obtain a license for professional practice in the country.
After completing BDS, graduates can practice as a dentist or pursue postgraduate studies MDS (Master of Dental Surgery) in various fields such as orthodontics, oral surgery, periodontics etc.
BDS Eligibility Criteria & Duration
The BDS is one of the most sought courses after 12th in the medical field. Many reputed universities across the country offer this course these includes King George’s Medical University (KGMU), Manipal University, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) etc .
The BDS course is a 5 year (4 years academic education + 1 year mandatory internship) UG degree programme. This course can be pursued only through full time mode after qualifying the NEET UG exam.
The BDS course contains the basic subjects like human anatomy, physiology & biochemistry, dental material, prosthodontics, microbiology, embryology & histology, general & dental pharmacology and pathology, periodontics, pedodontics, orthodontics and general dentistry.
Eligibility Criteria
The students, who have passed the 10+2 examination with science stream and having Physics, Chemistry and Biology and English in 12th stream are eligible to pursue BDS course.
The students have to score minimum 50% marks (40% in the case of reserved category) in 12th grade and must qualify NEET UG entrance examination for admission to medical or dental colleges in the country.
The candidates should also meet any university specific eligibility criteria for admission to their BDS program.
BDS Admission Process
How to get admission in BDS course?
Admissions in BDS programmes will be done through entrance test. Students must appear in entrance exam organized at national or university level examinations.
NEET UG 2025 (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) is the only entrance exam for admission to BDS courses in India.
After qualifying the entrance exam, students have to participate in the counselling process organized by the respective authority. Seats will be allotted to candidates on the basis of rank, filled choices and availability of seats.
BDS Top Colleges in India
Here is the list of top dental colleges in India, as per NIRF rankings 2024-25:
The list of top 10 dental colleges offering BDS program are given in the table below:
| College | Rank | State |
| Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences | 1 | Tamil Nadu |
| Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal | 2 | Karnataka |
| Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences | 3 | Delhi |
| King George`s Medical University | 4 | Uttar Pradesh |
| Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth | 5 | Maharashtra |
| A.B.Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences | 6 | Karnataka |
| SRM Dental College | 7 | Tamil Nadu |
| Jamia Millia Islamia | 8 | Delhi |
| Siksha `O` Anusandhan | 9 | Odisha |
| Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research | 10 | Tamil Nadu |
Career & Jobs
After completing BDS, candidates have numerous work opportunities in public as well as private sector.
Candidates can go for higher studies by pursuing MDS (Master of Dental Surgery) or MBA program in healthcare management.
Some of the key specialization after BDS include :
- Orthodontics
- Periodontics
- Oral Surgery
BDS graduates can work in dental clinics or hospitals and may also start their own dental clinics. Many pharmaceutical companies also hire BDS graduates for various roles in manufacturing or formulation of medicine, drugs or dental care products.
Candidates also have the opportunity to work in the public sector, BDS graduates can work as a Dental Surgeon in government hospitals or state health departments.
Candidates interested in research and education, can pursue PG specialization and work as a lecturer or professor in dental colleges.
The Job Profiles after completing BDS course may be the following:
- Dentist
- Dental Surgeon
- Endodontic
- Oral and Maxillofacial Pathologist
- Oral Surgery
- Orthodontics
- Pedodontics
- Periodontics
- Prosthodontics
Some employment areas for BDS aspirants are:
- Dental Clinics
- Hospitals
- Educational Institutions
- Pharmaceutical Companies
- Dental Products Manufactures
- Private Practice
BDS Course Salary
After completing BDS course, how much will i earn?
This is one of the common question among the students pursuing a BDS course. The salary or remuneration in the medical field varies by one’s experience, job profile, location and employer.
In India, the starting salary of a dentist may be around INR 25,000 to Rs. 50,000 per month. Candidates with specialization and experience can earn significantly higher in the range INR 6-12 lakhs per annum.
For those practicing privately the annual salary has no limit, the earnings may vary widely based on clientele and reputation and can be anywhere between INR 15 to 50 lakhs per annum.
In USA or UK the salary of a entry level dentist is around $100,000 to $150,000 per year. Experienced dentists or specialists can earn over $200,000 annually, especially in metropolitan areas or through private practice.
Books & Study Materials
There are several books are available in market to study BDS. Here we have listed some most preferred books to study BDS programme:
- Phillips’ Science of Dental Materials: 1st South Asia Edition 2014 – Shenoy
- Essentials of Pharmacology For Dentistry – K.D. Tripathi
- Textbook of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 2013 – Balaji
- General Pathology – Harsh Mohan
- Sturdevant’s Art and Science of Operative Dentistry: An Adaptation 2013 – Roberson and Gopikrishna
- Applied Dental Materials by Anderson
- A Textbook of Dental Anatomy Physiology and Occlusion – Rashmi G S (Phulari)
- Textbook of Dental Anatomy, Physiology, Occlusion and Tooth Carving – Syed Khaja Aliuddin
- Fundamentals of Oral Histology and Physiology – Arthur R. Hand and Marion E. Frank
Career in BDS FAQ’s
For any queries regarding Career in BDS, you may leave your comments below.
how many marks are compulsory in neet for BDS..specially for General Category
Candidates have to score passing marks or cut-off marks to qualify for the admission process. The passing marks or cut off varies every year.The minimum marks required is at least 50th percentile in NEET.
Respected sir/mam …
Van I do the BDs xam after 12th(non – medical) ???
No, for pursuing BDS or MBBS courses, candidates must have PCB subject combination in 12th grade.
Any student exchange peogramm after two three or four year of study BDS in India, with EU, UK, US, CAN or Australia? Or after the completion of BDS in In India job prospect in above mentioned nations?
Medical courses like MBBS and BDS offer excellent job prospects in countries like the UK, USA, Australia, and Canada, where there is a high demand for skilled healthcare professionals.
Respected sir/madam
i am anurag i passed B.SC.( medical), B.ED,M.SC.(bio-technology) i have cavity in my one pre-molar.doctor advise me remove from surgery.can i am applicable for govt. job in defense and several types of govt job.
It is OK. applicable.
how much i have to score in NEET..?
in HSC also..?
can I obtain a MBBS degree after BDS… because I heard that there is any Kind of bridge course in MBBS which can help us to get mbbs degree ….is it true Sir? pls give them ans.
Is there any way to join BDS in India other than neet qualification.
i want to do bds plz guide me how could i apply for it
I did cds(certificate in dental science).
Will I be able to study bds?
I want to know which is the best field to be done diploma in after bds? And what would be it’s fee structure. And what all can a bds doctor practice after bds like rct and all, And what are the preferred small courses a bds doctor should do?
by given info my mind is get ready for B.D.S.. actully i am in 12 th . I got 84 percent in 10 th .. it is cleared that i can become a dentist.. is it??
Sir
I want know i got 476 in NEET. I will get bds in govt. college in IPU OR ROHTAK and mbbs in private college of fees 6 lakh. What should i choose please suggest me. I want to do PG also
Hello sir /mam i am in 12th can i admission for bds without math
yes you can.
Hello sir im kriti from Delhi n I want to pursue BDS . But my father is a rtd.govt servant so we are not br able to pay the complete fee in a Pvt dental college .. bcz of this we r thinking about loan for my studies … But by looking n researching about this course I get to know .. the salary of a bds student is in btw 8000 to20000 .. im very worried about the decision of taking loan for this much low income based course so,sir suggest me should I go for it or not?
Sir pls help me.I’m getting govt college for BDS .some relatives say that being a bright student u should not go for BDS as none get good job and wander here and there for job.they say that I must drop.sir pls intimate me whether it is true or not.pls reply as soon as possible so that I can decide..
No, it does not as it looks. BDS owe a respectful status as a MBBS and the job opportunities is too good with less competition.
Thank u so much sir.After your guidance I have taken admission in BDS at rohtak pgi and I am very happy at my decision.
Thanks sir.
best of luck for your course.
Hi sir/madam.
I’m presently doing my 12th grade and I’m planning to do BDS after my 12; So, I would like to know how much will be the donation amount for BDS course if I need a direct admission without writing the entrance.
The donation amount is not fixed, it depends upon the college.
Bt…what will be the approximate amount ???
Like…its 50Lakh-1 crore for MBBS….like thar what will be the range for BDS? ??
I have no idea about this, neither we provide information on this, we always motive our students to work hard and crack the exams in their own terms to get admission in the engineering/medical colleges.
can a bds student do ms ent after completing his bds course ? pls suggest.
I got 58% marks in 12th stndrt,now i want to appear medical degree course,which course may be suitable for me?
anyone with 58%.
Hello sir am frm karnataka n i wishd to go to mbbs bt am nt sure that i’ll get a seat in mbbs all r tellng to wait fr 2nd round am really confused about wht coarse should i take…. If i repeat one year r there 100% chances of gettng mbbs seat nxt year?
What do after 12science?
My marks
Physics-65 chemistry-69 Biology-83.
Mathematics-81
Sir
Some doctor says there are not much scope in bds some dental are wandering for job is it true??,
it is fake.
actually am being hoarded with questions like what will u do if bds has no scope i have completed my 12th std in chennai and scored 1146 outta 1200 my medicine cut off is 197 even though it is a decent score dis stupid reservation is blocking my way to mbbs am not sure if i cud get mbbs so iam hoping atleast i will get bds guys can any one tell if bds is a wise choice??????
Yes of course. Same reputation, same designations in Job, same remuneration, same profile and same dignity. Why not BDS a good option after MBBS.
Yaa it is good one.
what is the average cost to study bds in india?
Is bds course better to do abroad or in india?
Sir, What will be the average fee for complete 4yrs including building/donation fee for BDS in Bangalore or Channai etc.. cities ?
Thanks
Jeevan
After doing bds if i do government job then what will be handsome salary of it
No govt jobs on bds course. I thnk so…
It is really very good job after 12th class. This depend on students hard working. but how can I prepared it. suggest me sir. How can I prepared this entrance very professionally. .
Sir BDS course is good courier after 12 and good salary is paid to them ? after bds degree
Res sir
i just give exam 12sci with urdu med so i want be doc so please sir can you help me in thi facalty and give me your advice
is bds is a part of modern medicine……can u plz give me the answer plz
Sir how much it cost to complete bds
Sir i got bds in pvt. College on basis of entrance but i left bds seat. Because i have problem in my teeth.
Can i do bds??
Can I take direct addmission in bds after 12th without pass any intrance exam
Dear Sir,
Can an international interested person apply with HND in dental technology(higher national diploma) for BDS?
With Warm regards,
Anthony
I just want to know which field has more scope dental or unani as all my friends said the field of unani is just waste after completing that u dont even have chance to use modern medicine then which fool will come to an unani doctor to take unani medicine and over all now a days noo unani medicine what is the use of curing a disease from root when there is no relief if m suffering from any pain or disease I just want to cure it early not to wait till it take away my life according to me ayush person are not fit to call as doctors they should be called as hskim or vaid…proud to be mbbs student
Sir i got 260 marks in AIPMT 2015, In bio 220 marks can i do BDS in private collage without donation
which collage
i m getting 252 marks in aipmt 227 marks in biolgy will i get bds govt collge or can i do mbbs in private collge without donation in india on basis of aipmt marks ps rpy soon
which is the best college for bds in maharashtra??
Its not worth doing BDS in India. M a dental graduate and trust me there is no govt hospital that will hire you unless u have some connection there. Even if u go for loculm they won’t start paying u for one year.Even after u do MDS u vl get lectureship only if there is a vacancy.payment in metro is 10-15k only which vl be gone in ur monthly rent.U r not allowed to practise in USA until u get a dds degree there which is of duration 3 yrs. It costs 50-60k dollars(50-60lacs). U need to work at least for 5-7 yrs before u start earning something that vl pay more than ur rent. Opening ur own clinic is lots of investment. My colleagues have all left the field for other higher paying job. M also going to join an IIM next year to get a good job of at least 20lac per annum in booming healthcare industry.
Go for BDS only if ur parents own an already successful clinic
I tried lot but i did’t get mbbs, so which course is good one in medical field.
Sir i want to be become a MBBS doctor but unfortunately i have score 152 marks in entrance exam but i m not get MBBS seat but i getting BDS seat.Some family members,teachers and friends say that i will do bds.Problem is that for me i don’t know about BDS CAREER and i m searching about bds salary on some pages which is show that 100% placement but only 8000-20000 salary range that’s it true or not sir .please give some information about BDS and what should be i do after BDS.
yes you can pursue BDS, the starting salary could be the same.But after some experience you can get good salary…The other option for you is to drop a year, and then prepare for the exam..But if you’re dropping then you need to work very hard to get a good college. So i think the best option is to go with BDS.
i want to go for mbbs but if i cant score good marks in cet then what can i do for career in health department.is it correct that deciding bams..what type of career i can make after bams
after BAMS u can go for higher studies otherwise u do mba course on BAMS degree then u work as Hospital adminisrration or u can open ur own clinic
After 12th can I get the admission for BDS in USA
Sir I want do to BDS …..
but in 10th class I got 8.6 CGP. and. in 12 the class I got 60 to 65% …so its possible for doing BDS.
i got 70% marks in 12 cbse and got 65 marks in biology…am i eligible to study bds?
Sir i want to do BDS … What is the salary after it ….
My mark is989 in my 12 board exam can I get bds merit seat in chennai
Sir upcpmt m BDS k lye minimum kitne marks tak gov college milejaegaa…
Sir kam s kam kitne marks ajay to ..? BDS gov college mil saktaa h..
This can be declared only after the declaration of upcpmt result.
Bds is realy good choice for medical student…and 100% sure to get a good job..:-/
can i get a job in hospital after bds? i want to go usa for bds.
Yes you may.
whats the salary of MDS after BDS
U will get more than 60,000 to 1000000
is it compulsory to take mds after bds…. if we only learn bds then will we be able to get a handsome salary like 30000 to 50000….
not compulsory.
My 10the is 65.5/and 12
72/ FCB B 75 C 60 F59
So place give me ans
Dear student,
What is your question?
I got 60percent marks but no option