When asked to a layman what he understands about health, the most common answer comes as-“Free of pain or disease”. But, his answer is insufficient to address the needs of the public at the community levels, and thus the branch of Community Dentistry or Public Health Dentistry evolved in the field of dentistry.

Public Health Dentistry is a specialized branch of dentistry. It is the science and art of preventing and controlling oral and dental diseases and promoting the oral and dental health as well as general health of people in the community. It serves the community as a patient rather than as an individual. The Department of Public Health Dentistry is concerned with the dental health education of the people in community, with applied dental research and the administration of group dental care programs as well as the prevention and control of dental diseases of individuals, community, school children as well as special groups (ex. Persons with special health care needs, ITBP, PTS, industrial workers etc).

Vision :

“Healthy Mouth In Healthy Body- Keep Your Oral Cavity Healthy & Stay Healthy”.

Oral health is one of the most neglected, but evenly and equally important as general health. Oral health is the integral part of general health. Public health dentistry is science and art of preventing and controlling dental diseases and promoting dental health through organized community efforts.

Our Vision is “To Achieve and Maintain Oral Health of People on Individual and Community Basis”.

Mission :

We are committed to achieve “Oral Health For All,” through dental health education and awareness, applied dental research, dental care to the individuals and community with the qualities of compassion, care, equity, and professional expertise.

Our Values :

Social: Working with community by motivating the people of community to take measures for prevention of dental diseases.

Technical: Broader application of preventive, promotive, curative procedures which are based on sound scientific knowledge and facts for prevention and control of dental diseases.

Economical: Providing dental health care to community at free and affordable cost.

Equity: By focusing on each section of the society including vulnerable groups.

Collaboration: By building and nurture partnerships to achieve mutual success.

Goals :

1. To provide Oral health promotion to all the individuals and groups, also to maintain oral health and prevention of dental diseases.

2. To also focus on vulnerable section of the community such as physically & mentally handicapped, areas devoid of dental health services, special groups such as ITBP, Industrial Workers etc.

3. To diagnose, treat dental diseases at early stages

4. To provide basic services through Outreach Programs by conducting camps on regular basis.

 The Department of Public Health Dentistry in collaboration with Government/Non-Government bodies such as AYUSH, Youth Red Cross, NSS Schemes, YMCA, Rotary Club International, Lions Club, ABIS etc. had organized various free (Comprehensive Oral Health Care Program) including Screening Camps, Treatment Camps, Oral and General Health Awareness Programs for general public, school children, special groups (persons with special health care needs, ITBP, industrial workers etc.) During the last five years we had organized 263 camps with more than 23000 beneficiaries. Staffs & students had regularly posted in individual programs. We had crossed our traditional boundaries and also provide our service to students residing in Gurukul Aashram Udasa, Umded Road Nagpur (M.H.) in collaboration with MAA NGO Nagpur (M.H.)

 In order to provide services through “Reach Through Out Reach ” approach, the institute has established 1 satellite clinic at Thelkadih Village, Tehsil-Kharagarh, District-Rajnandgaon having population of 1291 which is at the distance of 35 kms away from college campus. This serve as a peripheral unit to attain our motto by providing assessable, affordable oral health care services to rural masses. Interns posted in the department of public health dentistry must visit satellite center with staff on regular basis. The department also has well equipped 1 Mobile Dental Unit which serves as means to provide services in inaccessible areas.

 The department also celebrated/observed/organized special days eg. AIDS Day, Oral Health Day, World Cancer Day/ Oral Cancer Day, World No Tobacco Day, National Tooth Brushing Day etc. with specific themes on regular basis. Rallies, Nukkad Natak enactment had done from time to time at various places to increase awareness among masses.

 The interns of the department also posted in Tobacco Cessation Centre of CDCRI on rotation basis.

 As a part of Undergraduate Research Program the department also encourages undergraduates & interns to do the research in various disciplines including dental, public health, microbiology, behavior, social science etc.

Achievements

 As per concern to academics, the department had national subject topper for the year 2013, 2014, 2019 and state subject topper almost every year.

 The department had published various papers in reputed indexed journals involving undergraduates.

 Dr. Suraj Multani; Associate Professor received INSC Research Excellence Award, Academic Excellence Award in 2020 and International Dental Excellence- Rural Dental Service Award in the year 2021.

 For delivering Oral Health Care Services to the population of all age groups the department had received various appreciation letters in respective camps and Community Service Award by Lion’s Club Rajnandgaon in the year 2021.

Our Senior staff :

Name	Post
Dr. Suraj Multani	Reader & HOD
Dr. Anubhuti Jain	Sr. Lecturer
Dr. Vinay Lal	Tutor
Dr. Aniruddha Khedulkar	Tutor