Like MBBS, Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) is also a very dynamic medical education branch. Considering the career opportunities in Dentistry in India and abroad, this field of dental surgery has been a great attraction for a long time. However, after 5 years of sincere dedication in BDS, many graduates come to a point where they have to choose from clinical practice and MDS. Here are the top alternative career paths after BDS other than MDS.
Best Alternate Career Options after BDS
Co-authored by Parinita Gupta
As per the 2018 data, India produces 16,000 BDS graduates every year. But, there are not enough MDS seats. Besides, many candidates might also look for options other than MDS. Finally, even after completing MDS, the career path is not too smooth.
As fresh BDS graduates, it is important that you know about a wide range of alternative career options that are available after BDS. You all know the famous quote – Knowing is half the battle won. Doing is the other half. Hence, it’s only wise to know all the available career options. Here are the top alternate career paths that you can choose after BDS if you are not too keen about MDS.
Pharmacovigilance
Pharmacovigilance is the study and the prevention of adverse effects of pharmaceutical products. It is the reason that many drugs are withdrawn from the market and the quality system of the medical industry is maintained. There is no shortage of jobs in this field as high-quality pharmacovigilance practice helps in good business dealing.
Recognition given to drug safety all over the world ensures a promising future in this sector. You can pursue both certificate and diploma courses in Pharmacovigilance. You can opt for a regular Masters program or Certificate program in Pharmacovigilance.
Clinical Research
The evaluation of how effective a new drug, vaccine, diagnostic test or surgical technique can be in humans is growing tremendously as a sector. India is the second-largest pharmaceutical market in Asia. As a result, a wide range of pharmaceutical research services are outsourced to pharmaceutical industries and hence is a lucrative career.
A BDS graduate can have various job roles available in this sector: Principal Investigator, Co-investigator, Medical Advisor, Drug Developer, Regulatory Affairs Manager or even a Clinical Research Physician.
Forensic Odontology
Forensic science is a vital instrument for the detection or investigation of crime. If you think that you have the vibes of Sherlock Holmes within you, then here is a career choice custom made for you.
Forensic Odontology (forensic dentistry) primarily mainly involves the identification of an assailant by comparing a record of their dentition (set of teeth) with a record of a bite mark left on a victim. Forensic dentists have thus become a very important part of the investigation on missing persons, disaster recovery, and solving and prosecuting crimes.
You can expect Identification of human remains, Assessment of bite mark injuries, Age estimation, Use of Bite Marks to Identify Individuals, Post-mortem, Evaluation of dental evidence, DNA extraction from teeth, DNA Testing, Evidence Collections, Chain of Custody and several other roles in this sector. Though this sector is just budding in India, it is expected to be at its full bloom within a decade.
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Oral Biology & Sciences
If you are interested in research, you can approach many universities around the world for postgraduate programs like MSc in Oral Biology, MSc Oral Pathology & Microbiology or MSc Oral Sciences.
It is a vast area that utilizes basic scientific tools to solve scientific queries pertaining to a wide range of subjects ranging from oral biochemistry, oral microbiology, and oral immunology to biomineralization.
This is an excellent opportunity for you to expand your area of expertise to the fullest extent and enjoy the role of assistant professors or researchers at a place of your choice. This will not only improve the scope of your clinical practice but aid in a more holistic understanding of oral health issues.
Note: If you are keen about staying in the clinical field of dentistry, you should opt for programs like MSc Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, MSc Endodontics, MSc Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics or MSc Orthodontics.
Public Health
Public health is considered as the noblest sector as you get to educate, research and raise the awareness to make communities healthy. You can also educate and promote a lifestyle that is healthy and can keep people in good health. With this career, you will be generally trying to prevent disease or injuries.
Many types of jobs and careers that you can pursue in this field like public health nursing, epidemiologist, public health inspector, qualified health educator, or even an administrator or manager of complex health institutions and service programs.
There are public health dentists involved in programs such as community water fluoridation, school-based dental screenings, oral cancer screenings, and educational efforts to promote good oral hygiene. Read more about careers in public health.
Hospital Administration
With health care and fitness being the next big thing, the medical sector will be in constant bloom. Also, it is no secret that managing a hospital or any other health care unit is not a child’s play. Thus, a career in hospital administration can be both promising and fruitful.
An effective administration of hospitals will ensure that the medical staff is able to provide quality health care services to the patients. Policy-making and implementation are one of the few roles that you can expect in this sector. You can enroll in many premier institutions like the Tata Institute of Social Sciences for quality MBA in hospital administration.
Dental Product Design
Dentists need to work with sophisticated dental products and equipment for dental surgeries. Now, when it comes to designing those products, BDS graduates can use their expertise and work with the product development team.
Even practicing dentists interested in working on the cutting edge of medical technology should consider a career in medical device engineering. This is a branch of biomedical engineering that is dedicated to research and designing of the medical equipment and machinery. The increasing demand for Biomedical Engineers is linked to society’s general shift towards everyday utilization of machinery and technology in all aspects of life.
Dental Patient Chairs, Operation Cabinetry, Delivery Systems, Dental Operatory Lights are a few of the dental equipment that you can expect to design. There are many universities abroad offering courses in instrument designing and who other than a dentist could come up with new quality precision instruments.
Related Article: How to Become a Product Manager in India
Dietitian
Nowadays who does not consult a nutritionist or a dietitian to cope with lifestyle diseases? A dentist like you, who is equipped with clinical understanding can definitely go for courses in nutrition and dietetics offered by prestigious universities across the world.
After BDS, you can go for a certification course from institutes like the Institute of Nutrition and Fitness Sciences (INFS).
Many critically ill patients are dependent on an optimal diet for their recovery. With this career, you can also have the option of working as a dietitian with good hospitals.
Technical Blogging and Content Marketing
Creativity, when mixed with reading and writing, becomes a perfect mixture for dentists to go digital. Dentists can and ensure their online presence by publishing their articles, blogs, and videos. Reviewing dental products on youtube and social media is also a new trend that you can go about with.
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Dental Cosmetology
Beautiful teeth that add to a lovely smile. Who doesn’t want it? In this modern world, people are increasingly becoming conscious about how they look. They do not mind spending a considerable sum to make themselves look good.
This has led to an increased demand for clinical cosmetologists. The course of cosmetology will help you in gaining extensive knowledge and expertise to become experts in cosmetology treatments.
You can look forward to Cutaneous Peels, Microdermabrasion/ Skin Polishing, Fillers, Laser Basics, IPL, Photo-Dynamic Therapy, Anti-Ageing and Skin Tightening, PRP / Mesotherapy, Fat cell grafting for Skin, Derma Rollers / Derma Pens, etc in this field.
Government Jobs
Many are unaware of the top-notch job opportunities available in the Government sector after BDS. With the expertise in clinical knowledge, you can apply for jobs in various govt. sectors like Government Hospitals, Army Dental Corps, Joining Indian Railways as Dentist, Teaching Faculty in State and Central Government Colleges, Civil Services (IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS), Territorial Officer in the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Air Force as Contractual Dental Officer, Industries Manufacturing Oral Care Products, etc.
Big Data & Health Informatics
The term ‘Big Data’ refers to all the health data that is being generated across the globe at an unprecedented rate. This health data could be either structured or unstructured. There is a huge potential as a career in big data and health informatics, which can be pursued after BDS.
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About Parinita Gupta: Parinita is a full-time banking professional. Additionally, she is also a passionate blogger and digital marketer.
She mostly writes about the Banking & Finance, Technology, and FinTech sector. But, she also enjoys writing on other topics as well. You can follow her on Twitter.
Featured Image Source: DentalOrg.com