• Oral Medicine & Radiology
• Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
• Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge
• Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics
• Paedodontics & Preventive Dentistry
• Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics
• Periodontology
• Oral Pathology and Oral Microbiology

Duration of the course
The Course shall be of three years duration.
All the candidates for the degree of MDS are required to pursue the recommended course for at least three academic years as full time candidates in an institution affiliated to and approved for Postgraduate studies by Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka, and recognized by the Dental Council of India.

Method of training
The training of postgraduate for degree shall be full time with graded responsibilities in the management and treatment of patients entrusted to his/her care. The participation of the students in all facets of educational process is essential. Every candidate should take part in seminars, group discussions, grand rounds, case demonstration, clinics, journal review meetings, CPC & clinical meetings. Every candidate should participate in the teaching and training programme of undergraduate students. Training should include involvement in laboratory and experimental work, and research studies.

Scheme of examination
Eligibility:
The following requirements shall be fulfilled by every candidate to eligible to appear for the final examination.
Attendance : Every candidate shall have fulfilled the attendance prescribed by the University during each academic year of the postgraduate course.
Progress and conduct : Every candidate shall have participated in seminars, review meetings, symposia, conferences, case presentations, clinics and didactic during each year as designed by the concerned department.
Work diary and Logbook : Every candidate shall maintain a work diary and logbook for recording his/her participation in the training programmes conducted by the department. The work diary and logbook shall be verified and certified by the Head of the Department and Head of the Institution(Please see Section IV for Model Checklist and Logbook).

DEFINITION OF VARIOUS SPECIALTIES

Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge
Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge and Oral Implantology i.e. that branch of Dental art and science pertaining to the restoration and maintenance of oral function, health, comfort and appearance by the replacement of mission or lost natural teeth and associated tissues either by fixed or removable artificial substitutes.

Periodontology
Periodontology and Oral Implantology is the science dealing with the health and diseases of the investing and supporting structures of the teeth and oral mucous membrane.

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
Oral and Maxillofacial surgery and implantology deals with the diagnosis and surgical and adjunctive treatment or diseases, injuries and defects of the human jaws and associated oral and facial structures.

Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics
Conservative dentistry deals with prevention and treatment of the diseases and injuries of the hard tissues and the pulp of the tooth and associated periapical lesions.

Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics
Deals with prevention and correction of oral anomalies and malocclusion and the harnmonizing of the structures involved, so that the dental mechanisms will function in a normal way.

Oral Pathology & Microbiology
Oral Pathology deals with the nature of oral diseases, their causes, processes and effects. It relates the clinical manifestation of oral diseases to the physiologic and anatomic changes associated with these diseases.

Public Health Dentistry
Community Dentistry is the science and art of preventing and controlling dental diseases and promoting dental health through organized community efforts.

Paedodontics and Preventive Dentistry
Deals with prevention and treatment of oral and dental ailments that may occur during childhood.

Oral Medicine and Radiology
Oral Medicine is that specialty of dentistry concerned with the basic diagnostic procedures and techniques useful in recognizing the diseases of the oral tissues of local and constitutional origin and their medical management. Radiology is a science dealing with X-rays and their uses in diagnosis and treatment of diseases in relation to orofacial diseases.