A state-of-the-art Centre for Dental Education and Research would be set up as part of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences soon. The centre, envisaged at an estimated cost of Rs 42 crore would have nine sub-specialties of Dentistry and is to be completed within a year.

According to AIIMS Act, the college was to be set up mainly to train doctors in specialized dentistry through post-graduate courses and applied research. Previously AIIMS had a dental surgery department providing post-graduate training in two specialties - orthodontics and prosthodontics. In the new plan, specialties such as pedodontics, oral pathology, oral medicine, diagnostics and radiology and community medicine would be added, it is learnt.

The centre would also conduct short term diploma courses of six to nine months in cosmetic dentistry. Courses for dental technicians and dental hygienists too are being planned.

According to Dr Hari Prakash, professor and head, department of dental surgery, the first batch of post students should be admitted by July 2004. "As of now we have not thought of admitting BDS students as we have around 170 dental colleges across the country. There are post-graduate colleges as well, but none of them have all nice specialties that we are to offer soon", he added.

The new centre is to act as a nodal agency for implementation of the National Oral Health Programme in Delhi, Maharashtra, Punjab and other states. The set up would also help extend the present patient intake capacity of the hospital. The new centre is to have 25 beds, besides a 24 hour operation theatre.

The foundation stone of the centre is to be laid by Sushma Swaraj, Union Health Minister, on April 19, 2003.

Interestingly, a dental college was part of AIIMS plan since its inception forty-seven years ago. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences Act, 1956 had put the concept on paper.