SDM College of Dental Sciences and Hospital (SDMCDSH) was founded in 1986 with a mission to improve oral health of the local population and cater to their dental needs. Since its inception, the institute has moved from strength-to-strength from humble beginning to a state-of-the-art hospital and teaching facility today.
About the institute:
It was the most cherished dream of Poojyashree D Veerendra Heggade, who is also President of SDM Educational Society, Ujire. The institute saw its humble beginning on September 16, 1986, in SDM Engineering College campus of Dharwad and continued there for four years. The institution recently completed 34 successful years with a glorious past and scaling new heights in the future.
The hospital since its inception has treated more than 10 Lakh seventy thousand patients till date, including many requiring critical care and expertise in handling. The hospital and institute have been successfully serving the community with relevant mission and visions.
History, Vision and Mission: Vision:
Learner-centred education, patient-centred service and community-oriented research of excellence.
Mission:
- Contribute professionally competent general and specialty personnel to meet regional, national and global oral healthcare needs.
- Foster strong community relationships through research, services and linkages.
- Provide efficient, effective and community acceptable system that excels in education and service.
- Inculcate values in learners to be socially and professionally acceptable
Campus and Academic Programmes:
SDMCDSH is unique in many ways. One of the most highlighted facts is that it was the only dental college to start without an associate medical college. The college and hospital has been functioning in the present campus since 1990 and has carved it niche as one of the best dental colleges beyond leaps and bounds, boasting a huge 27 acres campus and is a landmark on the Hubli-Dharwad highway.
The college has nine specialty departments functioning with state-of-the-art facilities and providing the best possible quality dental care to the public. The college enrolls 100 undergraduate students and 43 postgraduates in the respective specialty each year. Apart from the specialty departments it has the College of ‘firsts’ to its credit.
Oral Implantology:
In 1993, the college developed India’s first Oral Implantology with the support of the renowned professor, Hans Grafelmann. The visit of Prof. Branemark to the institute the following year, a leader in the specialty, gave the much-needed impetus to the practice of implantology in the country.
Craniofacial Hospital:
An exclusive centre that focuses on post-trauma reconstruction, oral cancer rehabilitation as well as cleft-lip and palate surgeries, was established in 1997. Equipped with state-of-the-art instruments, the 50-bed centre has three operating facilities, an intensive care unit and has served as a training centre for overseas graduates.
Forensic Odontology – An independent department of forensic odontology – another first-of-its-kind venture in India, recognized by the Karnataka government as a state-referral centre for forensic dental cases. The thrust of the department is on introduction of a comprehensive undergraduate teaching program, multi-department facilitated research and assisting legal agencies in routine forensic casework.
Department of Special Healthcare Needs of Dentistry – was established to cater the patients who requires special needs and are medically compromised. Central Sterile Supplies Department (CSSD) – where all instruments used on patients are sterilized as per international guidelines.
Visit of the American Dental Association for Accreditation:
The college was the first outside the United States to host a team from the American Dental Association for accreditation of international dental colleges. A team of five members of the ADA visited the college in September 2011 for a Preliminary Accreditation Consultation Visit and were highly appreciative of the processes and facilities available at the college.
Achievements and Accreditations:
Since the beginning of institute more than 3,000 undergraduates and more than 1000 postgraduates have been conferred the degrees. The students trained here have made the institute proud by earning laurels at the university level by bagging ranks and gold medals. Apart from student training programs, the faculty encourages research activities facilitating healthcare improvements. Many research grants have been approved by recognized funding agencies like ICMR for quality research.
The proud alumni of the college have been successful not only across India but also around the globe, serving as well-known dentists/academicians of highest order. The strength of any institute lies in its alumni, who are the real ambassadors for the college’s training. SDM Dental College is proud to have alumni of more than 4000 members, with an association called SPANDANA making the bond stronger with alma mater and gaining inputs to continuously improvise the institute standards.
Faculties of this college have been guest speakers at various national and international conferences.
SDM dental college has been the only dental college accredited by NAAC consecutively for three cycles for the years 2002, 2009, 2015 with an ‘A++’ grade quality.
As a part of upgrading of the training programs for undergraduates and postgraduates, the college has exchange programs and affiliations with reputed international universities. The institute has been the examination centre for the reputed exams for MFDS UK, membership examination in maxillofacial surgery and M.Ortho exams of RCPS Glasgow, student exchange programs with King’s Dental Institute, London, UK. The institute is also one of the few colleges in the country to be recognized by Ministry of Health, Government of Malaysia.
Wholesome Development of Students:
Apart from the academic accolades the college has also been encouraging all-round development of students by encouraging variety of extra-curricular activities. The institute has hosted many National level cricket championships and is a part of university sports activities too.
The Craniofacial Unit is honoured to be collaborated with Smile–Train Project, based in USA, and is instrumental in bringing back smiles of cleft lip and palate patients free of cost. More than 10,000 patients have been operated from 2001 till date.
Future Plans:
The institution has future plans in terms of infrastructure expansion in clinical departments a n d offering new courses/academic activities in the form of PhD, Fellowship and Diploma courses in all the clinical and non-clinical departments of dentistry. Th e institution’s future direction in dental education includes
- Developing a competency-based curriculum,
- Blending dental education in to the mainstream of health professions education, and
- Reform of the environment in which clinical education occurs.
People Behind the Success
Initially being affiliated to Karnataka University Dharwad, the College was later part of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bengaluru from 1996 till 2018. From December 19, 2018 SDM Dental College was a proud part of the newly established Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara University. The new University under the leadership of Hon’ble Chancellor, Poojyashree D Veerendra Heggade and Vice Chancellor Dr. Niranjan Kumar promises quality dental education and commitment to improve oral healthcare facilities to this part of the state.
