AJIDS Mangalore: Guide to Dental Education and Internships

AJ Institute of Dental Science situated in the heart of Mangalore is well known for its education and research programs. AJIDS comes under top medical colleges in Mangalore. This campus atmosphere was something that made me join this college as it was student friendly and close to the city and the campus has all kind of facilities like the football court, badminton court, table tennis court, basketball court and gym for both men and women.

Dentistry deals with an aesthetics and diagnosis and management of an oral disease or condition for the betterment of oral hygiene and health. You can opt for dentistry only if you have interest in it. Dentistry is all about your hand craft. Firstly to come into this field you need to take PCB in your 11th and 12th and pass with at least 60 percentage in your 12th. Next comes your NEET exam which you need to apply and qualify in order to get admission in any medical college or dental college in India. Once you clear your exams you can choose your specific colleges according to you score and rank and wait for the application to be approved by the college.

The college fees can vary person to person. If you are an NRI, your fee can range from Rs. 5 lakh to 10 lakh per year. Management quota ranges from Rs. 3 to 6 lakh per year. Merit quota ranges from Rs. 70 k to 1.5 lakh per year.

The faculties in AJ are well educated and experienced in their respective fields. They have graduated with a degree in bachelor’s of dental surgery along with masters in dental surgery in various fields. Their high knowledge and clinical experience is what makes the students build confidence and understanding in the dental subjects. They provide proper guidance and techniques to study dentistry. The faculty bond with the students and treat them with love and compassion.

There is no placement in dentistry as your internship is done in the same college itself. It’s a 4 plus 1 year course in which internship is done with a stipend of Rs. 3,500 per month. Point of internship is to build your confidence to face patients independently and to get enough patient exposure so that you can work in the future by yourself.

Hostels are provided to both undergraduates and postgraduate. Even the faculty can opt for hostels in the campus. The curfew is 7 pm for the new students and gradually goes till 10:30 by the end of the final year. Mess food is not up to the mark and can be improved. I’m not personally staying in hostel and also won’t recommend as there are various flats and PG nearby the campus.

The campus has a very good infrastructure and was recently renewed. It has a bright white aura and has a fresh ambiance for the students to feel fresh and motivated. There are various lecture halls. Around 5 of them provided with a smart class and air conditioning. There is an auditorium where all the functions take place. It has various canteens of reasonable pricing. The dental chairs are newly changed and new dental equipment is placed. Overall the college atmosphere is energetic and positive.

My overall campus life had both ups and downs. Dental life can be frustrating at times but you need to understand the outcome of what you are going to get once you finish your degree. The prefix doctor will get its value because of the hardships you go through in these 4 years. You need to be self motivated and confident that you can do it. The college faculties are friendly and helpful. There are various extracurricular programs and clubs in which you can showcase you talent like dance, singing, and arts. Overall you are going to enjoy your time in AJ and come out as a different and a better person.