Best MDS Colleges In India 2026

MDS typically stands for Master of Dental Surgery, which is an advanced postgraduate degree in dentistry. After completing Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree, students can pursue MDS to specialize in a specific area of dentistry such as orthodontics, periodontics, endodontics, prosthodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, pediatric dentistry, and others. Students can gain expertise in their chosen profession through the integration of clinical experience, significant theoretical instruction and research in the MDS program.

Overview

MDS or Master of Dental Surgery is a specialized area of medical science that concentrates only on the oral, jaw, dental section and other facial. MDS is a three years long program. Candidates with a Bachelor’s degree in Dental Science and in special cases, 1-year internship experience can only apply for this course.

MDS Admission is entirely entrance examination based. The prominent entrance examinations of Dental courses are NEET MDS, AIIMS PG, AIPGDEE, etc. The entrance examinations can be of state-level or national level. The average annual MDS course fee varies depending upon the type of institute the candidate is applying for. In the case of government institutes, the fee starts from INR 12,000 and in the case of private colleges, that goes up to INR 17,00,000.

Master of Dental Surgery: Course Highlights

Course LevelMaster’s degreeFull-FormMaster of Dental SurgeryDuration3 yearsExamination typeYearlyEligibilityMinimum 50% in BDS, Entrance test scoreAdmission ProcessMerit and Entrance basedCourse FeeGovernment: Approx INR 2,000 Private: Approx INR 17,00,000Average SalaryINR 5,00,000Top Recruiting CompaniesPrivate: Fortis Healthcare , MAX Healthcare , Care Hospitals, Apollo Hospitals, Dental clinics, Nursing Homes Government: Indian Council of Medical Research, AIIMS, State Hospitals, Health Centers, Public Health CentersJob PositionsDentist/ Dental surgeon in clinics and hospitals Dental Hygienist Academic Lecturer Clinical Research Scientist General Practitioner

Master of Dental Surgery: What is it About?

Dental Science is a specialized section of medical science. Master of Dental Surgery is a dedicated course of specialized study.

It concentrates on oral and dental hygiene, anatomy, problems, cure, prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation.
The course is curated emphasizing the in-depth knowledge of the detailed topics related to oral and dental health and hygiene extensively.
In a country like India where oral problems and ailments are a constant matter of concern, higher studies in dentistry is clearly a good career choice. It involves the population and public health aspects as well as children.
This vast field of study involves several specializations due to the elaborate nature of the study.
Candidates must choose from the list of specializations according to their choice. He or she will be progressing his or her future study on this specialization only.

Why Study Master of Dental Surgery?

Master of Dental Surgery is the final level of professional study that involves gaining professional knowledge and skills that are important for the medical branch of dentistry.

Aspirants get in-depth knowledge as well as hands-on experience in solving real-life medical problems associated with oral and dental ailments through various specializations.
This is a vast field of study, so to start your career as an expert on this topic, a student needs to achieve professional proficiency by undergoing laboratory training, OPD duties, internship, practical classes, seminars, lectures, etc.
Candidates, who wish to build a career in the medical field of dental and oral specialty, should pursue this course to be affiliated as an expert.
At the final examination, students have to sit for a written test, submit a thesis, clear practical exams, and give a viva-voce.
After completion of the study, candidates get to start their career as the experts in Dental Surgery, with specialization of their choice.
Job opportunities like Dental Surgeon, Dental Hygienist, Academic Lecturer, Clinical Research Scientist, General Practitioner are the most popular options available for an Master of Dental Surgery candidate.
In the future, Ph.D. in Dental Surgery is a promising step for MDS candidates. It will help in increasing the value and the extent of career prospects to a great extent.

Master of Dental Surgery: Admission Process

Admission to the master’s degree program of Dental Surgery is purely based on entrance examinations.

Colleges can conduct different examinations or can rely upon the scores achieved in any all India entrance examinations.
Entrance examinations can be of either state or national level depending upon the consideration and rules of any college.
After securing a valid mark or score, you will have to choose their choice of colleges at the time of counseling.

MDS Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for admission to the MDS course are as follows:

Have passed Bachelor of Dental Science from an MCI affiliated and recognized Dental college of India.
Have scored a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate.
Candidates with a 2 year long PG Diploma in Dental Surgery, as recognized by the Dental Council of India, are also eligible to apply for this course.
As additional criteria, colleges like Manipal College of Dental Science also demand a one-year internship after successful completion of BDS as their prerequisite to admission in the Master of Dental Surgery course.

Top MDS Entrance Exams

Colleges, Universities, or national agencies conduct entrance examinations for admission into the Diploma course in Pharmacy.

NEET MDS: NEET MDS is an all India entrance examination held for admission to the MDS course across India. For the year of 2025, the NEET MDS dates are yet to be declared.

How to Prepare for MDS Entrance Exams?

The entrance examination is conducted in centers all over India. To prepare for this entrance examination, you must start preparing at least 1.5 years ahead.

The syllabus will be of Bachelor of Dental Sciences standard. The syllabus consists of topics like: Orthodontics, Oral anatomy, Pedodontics, Oral medicine and Radiology, Periodontics, Prosthodontics, Oral pathology, Pharmacology, Public health, Human anatomy, Human physiology, Dental materials, Oral surgery, Conservative Dentistry.
The above-mentioned entrance exams would include 200 multiple-choice questions.
Each question is of 1 mark. There are negative markings in this examination.
The duration of the examination is 2.5-3 hours.

How to get Admission in Top MDS Colleges?

The entire admission procedure is based on the counseling session of the MDS entrance.

The counseling session is completely dependent upon the score you achieved in the all India dental entrance.
Hence, to increase your chance by the greatest level, do prepare well for the entrance examination.
Some colleges also emphasize on the result of the BDS examination, so, scoring excellent marks in your BDS examination also secures your place in getting admitted into your choice of the college.
After giving the MDS entrance examination, do have an idea of your tentative score.
Now shortlist your choice of colleges as per previous years’ cut-offs.
Maintain this list while appearing for the counseling and opt for the best college as per your choice.

How to Apply for MDS?

Follow the steps to apply for the entrance examinations:

Visit the official website of the entrance examination conducting authority
Register yourself to get a valid ID and password.
Re-log in using these credentials and fill-up the form accordingly.
Carefully review the form and upload scanned copies of essential testimonials, signature, the impression of left thumb, and photographs.
After reviewing, submit the application.
Retain a printed copy of the same for future correspondence.
Visit the website regularly for updates regarding the admit card.

MDS Syllabus

The syllabus of MDS covers extensive studies regarding each specialization subject.

Students choose a specialization according to their preferences. The course of study involves lectures, seminars, clinical and laboratory techniques, and many more.
Students who wish to gather detailed knowledge regarding the pattern and subjects included in the MDS syllabus can refer to the following table for better understanding.
The basic structure of the MDS syllabus has been described below. Universities can alter or curate this structure according to their rules and study design.

Didactic Lectures	Joint Clinical Meetings with Allied Specialties
Seminars	Weekly Journal Clubs
Demonstrations	Submission of Dissertation Thesis, Models, Radiographs and Photographs
Laboratory Techniques	The students will work on patients in the clinics under the supervision of teachers
Clinical Case Conference	The students will undertake the laboratory work for the patients who are under their treatment
Structured Lecture Programs	Training in Methodology of Teaching – Candidates will attend the undergraduate classes to learn the methodology of teaching and will be encouraged to teach undergraduate students.