MDS Pediatric Dentistry: Admission, Syllabus, Top Colleges and Salary 2023

MDS in Pediatric Dentistry, also known as pedodontics, is a 3-year postgraduate degree course. It is a full-time dental course that deals with the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of all aspects of dental diseases related to deciduous and permanent teeth.

The course mainly deals with the entire oral health necessities of a child from their birth to adolescence. It involves prevention and treatment/surgical remedies of oral and dental ailments that may occur during childhood.

The minimum eligibility to apply for MDS in Pediatric Dentistry is a BDS degree awarded by a recognized university/college in India and registered with the State Dental Council along with a compulsory one-year internship. Admission to the course in various colleges and universities is mainly based on the entrance exam, usually NEET MDS, a national-level entrance exam for the course.

The subjects taught during the courses include Periodontology, Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthodontics, Applied Anatomy and genetics, Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Dietetics, Child Psychology, Preventive Pedodontics, Paediatric operative dentistry, Cardiology, etc.

Some of the top institutes offering MDS in Pediatric Dentistry are MAIDS, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Dr. DY Patil Dental College and Hospital and SIMATS.

MDS in Pediatric Dentistry is offered in various government and private institutes. The average fees for the course ranges between INR 1,00,000 and 15,00,000 per annum in various colleges and universities.

Some of the job profiles for MDS Pediatric Dentistry graduates are Dental surgeon, Dental Lab Technician, Ceramist, Consultant, Dental Assistant, Professors, Public health specialists, Dental hygienist, Oral pathologist, Private practitioners, Dentist, Medical Marketing Executive etc.

The average starting salary package that is offered to the successful graduates of MDS in Pediatric Dentistry ranges between INR 2,00,000 and 10,00,000. However, that could increase based on the experience and expertise of the individual.

Table of Contents

MDS Pediatric Dentistry: Course Highlights
MBA Strategic Management: What is it About?
Why Study?
Admission Process
4.1 Eligibility Criteria
4.2 Top Entrance Exams
4.3 How to Prepare for Entrance Exam
4.4 How to Get Admission in Top College
Syllabus
Top Colleges in India
6.1 College Comparison
Courses Comparison
Jobs and Career Options
Future Scope
FAQs

MDS Pediatric Dentistry: Course Highlights

Course Level	Postgraduate
Full form	Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) in Pediatric Dentistry
Duration	3 Years
Examination type	Yearly-Basis
Eligibility	BDS degree from a recognized university/college in India and registered with the State Dental Council along with a compulsory one-year internship in a recognised Dental Institute
Admission Process	Entrance exam (NEET MDS) followed by Counselling process
Average Annual Fees	INR 10,000 to 15,00,000
Average Annual Salary	INR 2,00,000 to 10,00,000
Top Recruiting Sectors	Hospitals, Health Clubs, Schools, Child care units, Private clinics, Teaching Field, Government & Private Dental Institutions, Polyclinics and Multi-Speciality Clinics
Job Positions	Dental surgeon, Dental Lab Technician, Ceramist, Consultant, Dental Assistant, Professors, Public health specialists, Dental hygienist, Oral pathologist, Private practitioners, Dentist, Medical Marketing Executive

MDS Pediatric Dentistry: Admission Process

The admission criteria for MDS in Pediatric Dentistry is usually the same for almost all the dental colleges/universities. Most of them offer the course on the basis of the score in NEET MDS. However, some colleges offer the course on the basis of institution-specific entrance exams, but NEET candidates are preferred everywhere.

The basic application process for the entrance based admissions is as follows:

Visit the official website of the college/university.
Register for the admission within the stipulated time period announced by the institute with a valid E-mail ID.
After successful registration, fill the application form providing personal and academic details.
Upload or submit the necessary document in the prescribed format as asked by the specific institute.
Pay the application fees online or offline. The application fee varies across the colleges.
The admit card for the exam would be released before the exam. Download the admit card.
Once the NEET MDS is conducted, the qualified candidates need to participate in the counselling procedure.
On the allocation of a seat to the candidate, he/she can complete the admission formalities by reporting physically at the college.

MDS Pediatric Dentistry: Eligibility Criteria

The candidates applying for admission to the MDS course in Pediatric Dentistry must have the basic eligibility requirements asked by the University/college .

The candidate must have a degree of Bachelor in Dental Surgery awarded by a recognised university/college in India.
The candidate must be registered with the State Dental Council and must have obtained provisional or permanent registration.
Along with the BDS degree, the candidate should have undergone a compulsory rotatory internship of a year in an approved/recognised dental college.

MDS Pediatric Dentistry: Entrance Exams

The admission criteria for MDS in Pediatric Dentistry is similar in almost all the colleges/universities. Most of them offer the course on the basis of the score in NEET MDS whereas there are very few institution-specific entrance exams for admission to the course.

Exam Name	Exam Details
NEET MDS	Check Here

How to Prepare for MDS Pediatric Dentistry Entrance Examinations?

In order to score better in the entrance exam and to increase the chances for getting admission to the specific college, one needs to keep the following points in the mind while preparing for the exam:

Start Early: NEET MDS is a very challenging entrance exam and it is not that easy to crack it. Therefore, one should start early for the preparations of the exam. One shall start the preparations at least 7-8 months before the exam or they can start during the time of their internship only.
Prepare Section-wise: Divide the syllabus in sections and prepare section-wise. Focus on each section accordingly and brush up the topics and skills in each.
Focus on MCQs: Since, NEET MDS is not a subjective-type paper, one should focus that the preparation should also be objective and to the point.
Thorough revision of Basics: The students must clear their basics related to all the subjects in the BDS degree.
Standard Reference Material: One should never load himself/herself with too many reference books. Consult the best reference books and focus on them with utmost concentration.
Enough Time for Revision: One should dedicate the last one or two months completely for the revision of the topics. Never indulge yourself in preparing at the last moments.
Try Last Year Question Papers/Mock Tests: Download or buy last year question papers or Mock tests for the entrance exam and try to solve them. This would help in time management for the main entrance exam. The mock tests are the most crucial part of the preparations for an entrance exam.

How to get admission in a good MDS Pediatric Dentistry College?

In order to get admission in a good or top-ranked Dental college, one should keep the following points in mind:

The first and the most important factor is the entrance score. Start as early as you can for the preparation of the entrance exam as medical entrances are just too tough to clear.
One should always set the Government Dental colleges as their main target as they are the most valuable and top-rated institutions in the country and are way too inexpensive than private institutions.
Since most of the colleges offer the admission on the basis of the score in NEET MDS, so, the students can prepare in advance during their graduation or internship time period.
Do not rush behind the colleges that others want to get into, be aware of your own capabilities and choose the college that is best for you.
Follow the college and other important websites in order to keep a track of the important dates and schedules regarding admissions.

MDS Pediatric Dentistry: Syllabus

The syllabus of both theoretical and clinical subjects in MDS in Pediatric Dentistry is almost the same in most of the dental colleges. The various subjects and topics taught during the course are tabulated below:

Applied Anatomy and genetics	Applied Physiology	Applied Pathology
Nutrition and Dietetics	Growth & Development	Child Psychology
Behavior Management	Child Abuse & Dental Neglect	Conscious Sedation, General Anesthesia, Deep Sedation & in Pediatric Dentistry
Preventive Periodontics Dental Plaque	Microbiology & Immunology as related to Oral Diseases in Children	Gingival & Periodontal diseases in Children
Pediatric Operative Dentistry	Pediatric Endodontics	Prosthetic consideration in Pediatric Dentistry
Traumatic Injuries in Children	Interceptive Orthodontics	Oral Habits in Children
Dental care of Children with special needs	Systemic Condition of Oral manifestations in Children & their Management	Management of Minor Oral
Surgical Procedures in Children	Dental Radiology as related to Pediatric Dentistry	Cariology
Pediatric Oral Medicine & Clinical Pathology	Congenital Abnormalities in Children	Dental Emergencies in Children and their Management.
Dental Materials used in Pediatric Dentistry	Preventive Dentistry	School Dental Health Programs and Dental Health Education
Dental health concepts, Effects of civilization and environment, Dental Health	Fluorides	Medicolegal aspects in Pediatric Dentistry with emphasis on informed consent
Counseling in Pediatric Dentistry	Case History Recording, Outline of principles of examination, diagnosis & treatment	Epidemiology
Comprehensive Infant Oral Health Care	Principles of Biostatistics & Research Methodology & Understanding of Computers and Photography	Comprehensive cleft care management with emphasis on counseling, feeding, nasoalveolar bone remodeling, speech rehabilitation
Preventive Dentistry Clinic and Setting up of Periodontics	Emerging concept in Pediatric Dentistry of scope of laser/ minimum invasion.	Setting up of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry Clinic

MDS Pediatric Dentistry: Top Colleges

Some of the top institutes in India offering MDS in Pediatric Dentistry are as follows:

Name of the College/University	Average Annual Fees
Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, Delhi	INR 15,600
Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Udupi	INR 17,53,300
Dr. D. Y. Patil Dental College and Hospital, Pune	INR 12,00,000
Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai	INR 15,00,000
ABSM Institute of Dental Sciences, Karnataka	INR 10,80,000
Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore	INR 17,53,300
Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education And Research, Chennai	INR 11,50,500
Nair Hospital Dental College, Mumbai	INR 70,200
SRM Dental College, Chennai	INR 13,50,000
JSS Dental College and Hospital, Karnataka	INR 8,56,000

MDS Pediatric Dentistry: College Comparison

The following table shows a comparison between the top three dental colleges offering MDS in Pediatric Dentistry in India:

Parameter	Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences	Manipal College of Dental Sciences (MCODS)	Dr. D. Y. Patil Dental College and Hospital
Objective	Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, also declared as ‘Centre of Excellence’ is a government institution and is the top dental college in the country. It offers various UG and PG courses in the field of dental sciences.	MCODS is the second top dental college in India. It is a private dental college and offers diploma, certificate, UG and PG courses in dental sciences.	Dr. D. Y. Patil Dental College and Hospital is a top private dental college in Maharashtra, India and offers dental courses such as BDS, MDS, Ph.D. in Dentistry.
Location	New Delhi	Udupi, Karnataka	Pimpri-Chinchwad, Maharashtra
NIRF Ranking 2020	1	2	3
Average Annual Fees	INR 15,600	INR 17,53,300	INR 12,00,000
Average Annual Salary	INR 7,00,000 to 8,00,000	INR 2,50,000 to 6,00,000	INR 5,00,000 to 9,00,000

MDS Pediatric Dentistry vs MS Pediatric Surgery

Both MDS Pediatric Dentistry and MS Pediatric Surgery are Pediatric courses at different levels.

The course comparison between MDS in Pediatric Dentistry and Master of Surgery in Pediatric Surgery is tabulated below:

Parameters	MDS Pediatric Dentistry	MS Pediatric Surgery
Duration	3 Years	3 Years
Focus Area	The course mainly deals with the entire oral health necessities of a child from their birth to adolescence. It involves prevention and treatment of oral and dental ailments that may occur during childhood.	The course involves the study of basic principles of surgery in relation with infants, children, teenagagers and adolescents .
Admission Criteria	Entrance (NEET MDS)	Entrance (NEET MDS)
Eligibility Criteria	BDS degree from a recognized university/college in India and registered with the State Dental Council along with a compulsory one-year internship in a recognised Dental Institute	MBBS degree recognized by the Medical Council of India
Average Course Fees	INR 10,000 to 15,00,000 Per Annum	INR 3,000 to 25,00,000 Per Annum
Job Options	Dental surgeon, Dental Lab Technician, Ceramist, Consultant, Dental Assistant, Professors, Public health specialists, Dental hygienist, Oral pathologist, Private practitioners, Dentist, Medical Marketing Executive	Pediatric Surgeon, Surgery Coder, Professor, Consultant, Pediatric Physician, Private Practitioner, Pediatric Cardiologist, Clinical Associate, Pediatrician, Dietician & Nutritionist
Areas of Employment	Hospitals, Health Clubs, Schools, Child care units, Private clinics, Teaching Field, Government & Private Dental Institutions, Polyclinics and Multi-Speciality Clinics	Medical Colleges & Universities, Administrative Jobs, Private Clinics, Government and private Hospitals, Medical Test Labs, Defense Services
Average Annual Salary	INR 2,00,000 to 10,00,000	INR 1,00,000 to 15,00,000

MDS Pediatric Dentistry: Job Prospects and Career Options

MDS in Pediatric Dentistry offers a wide variety of career options and job prospects. Some of the job profiles for MDS Pediatric Dentistry graduates are Dental surgeon, Dental Lab Technician, Ceramist, Consultant, Dental Assistant, Professors, Public health specialists, Dental hygienist, Oral pathologist, Private practitioners, Dentist, Medical Marketing Executive etc.
MDS Pediatric Dentistry offers a wide variety of career options and job prospects as the MDS degree is very valuable.
Graduates from this field have numerous job prospects in Hospitals, Health Clubs, Schools, Child care units, Private clinics, Teaching fields, Government & Private Dental Institutions, Polyclinics and Multi-Speciality Clinics and many other areas in public and private sectors.

Some of the most popular and common job profiles that a successful graduate in MDS in Pediatric Dentistry student can opt for along with job description and salary package are mentioned in the table below:

Job Position	Job Description	Average Annual Salary
Dental Surgeon	A Dental Surgeon, also known as Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon, is the one who performs various types of surgical activities in and around the face, jaws and mouth, place dental implants and remove any type of tumour or abnormal growth in the area.	INR 21,10,023
Dental Ceramists	A Dental Ceramist is the one who prepares and creates dental prostheses such as crowns and dentures under the prescription of a dentist. Their works include applying acrylic paste over metal frameworks, placing dentures in furnaces to harden, making adjustments and polishing dental prostheses.	INR 3,09,440
Dental Assistant	Dental Assistants are the one who assist and accompany the specialised dentist during various treatments. They schedule appointments, maintain the records of the patients and ensure the comfort of the patients.	INR 1,96,527
Oral Pathologist	An Oral Pathologist studies the nature and causes of various diseases in and around the mouth, jaw, and other adjoining areas. They examine and assess the specimens from the patient’s mouth to learn about the pathological condition.	INR 18,16,336
Public Health Specialist	A Public Health Specialist is a certified and trained professional who works in order to serve the community and make them healthy and safe from various kinds of diseases.	INR 9,82,635

MDS Pediatric Dentistry: Future Scopes

The successful graduates of MDS in Pediatric Dentistry get decent placement offers or job opportunities.

After the completion of the MDS degree, people usually go for jobs or work as private practitioners.

However, the students willing to go for higher studies after MDS in Pediatric Dentistry can opt for Ph.D. in the same specialization as that would add more value to the profile of the student and would be helpful in his/her career.

The courses are described in brief below:

Doctoral/PhD Degree in Pediatric Dentistry: One can go for a doctoral or PhD degree in the same specialization, which is considered to be one of the highest educational degrees in the country. The PhD program helps to inculcate advanced knowledge and skill sets in scholars who aspire to become clinician-scientists to advance the understanding of Pediatric Dentistry.
Government Jobs/Competitive Examinations: If one wants to go into the arena of government jobs or change his/her field of education, then he/she can go for various competitive exams for Government jobs and civil services.

MDS Pediatric Dentistry: FAQs

Ques. What is the minimum eligibility criteria for MDS in Pediatric Dentistry?

Ans. The minimum eligibility criteria for MDS in Pediatric Dentistry is that the candidate must have a BDS degree awarded by a recognized university/college in India and should be registered with the State Dental Council along with a compulsory one-year internship in an approved dental institution.

Ques. Are there placements in the dental colleges for the course?

Ans. Usually, dental colleges/universities do not have that many placement activities. Some health organizations recruit students in some colleges but mainly the students have to get a job after the completion of their degree on their own.

Ques. Is Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, Delhi the best choice for MDS in Pediatric Dentistry?

Ans. Yes, Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences has been ranked as the best dental institution in the country by various ranking agencies such as NIRF. It is a government college, it holds a lot of importance and is one of the most inexpensive institutions in the country. The students from this college are preferred everywhere.

Ques. What is the average course fee for MDS in Pediatric Dentistry in Indian colleges/Universities?

Ans. The course fee varies across colleges. The average fees for the course ranges between INR 10,000 and 25,00,000 per annum in various private and public colleges and universities.

Ques. Name some books for the revision time of NEET MDS.

Ans. Some of the books which can be referred at the end of preparation are Neeraj Wadhawan’s AIPG entrance exam + Neet pattern, Current dental examinations by R. Goyal, Arvind Arora’s books, Sparsh Gupta's pharmacology and lastly the 10-year question papers.

Ques. Should I go for a PhD or go for jobs after MDS in Pediatric Dentistry?

Ans. it totally depends on the decision of the student. If one wants to or have the time for PhD then they can go for it to widen their career prospects. But the graduates of MDS in Pediatric Dentistry also have very good job/salary packages.

Ques. What are some of the top Job profiles for a MDS (Pediatric Dentistry) Graduate?

Ans. Some of the top job profiles for MDS (Pediatric Dentistry) graduates are Dental surgeon, Dental Lab Technician, Dental Assistant, Professors, Public health specialists, Oral pathologist, Private practitioners, etc.

Ques. What are some of the top rated colleges for MDS (Pediatric Dentistry)?

Ans. Some of the top institutes offering MDS in Pediatric Dentistry are Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Dr. D. Y. Patil Dental College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences among others.

Ques. What is the selection criteria for admission in MDS (Pediatric Dentistry)?

Ans. The admission criteria for MDS in Pediatric Dentistry is based on the score in NEET MDS. It is a national level national-level entrance exam conducted by the National Board of Examination for admission to postgraduate courses in the dental field.

Ques. Is it compulsory to do an internship in order to be eligible for admission in MDS Pediatric Dentistry?

Ans. Yes, it is a com[pulsion to do a one-year long internship in order to be eligible for admission to the course. One must undergo a compulsory rotatory internship of a year in an approved/recognised dental college.