Srinagar, Aug 29: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s Dental Education Section has sent a communication to the J&K Health and Medical Education Department regarding the unemployment of dental surgeons and requested to take necessary action.
“I am directed to forward a letter dated 31-01-2023 received from Dental Surgeons Association Jammu and Kashmir regarding unemployment of Dental Surgeons in J&K and to request you to take further necessary action in the matter under intimation of this ministry,” read a communication sent from the ministry to Secretary H&ME Department J&K.
There has been no appointment of dental surgeons in Jammu and Kashmir’s over the past 15 years amid dearth of dentists across hospitals taking a toll on oral health care services.
The unemployed dental surgeons of J&K, who have passed their professional courses from dental colleges, many times wrote to the government calling for creation of posts.
Dr Rahul Koul, President Dental Surgeons Association Jammu and Kashmir, said no dental surgeon post has been created by J&K Public Services Commission since 2008.
“There is a file pending with the government about the same which is doing rounds since the past ten years. This is a serious issue and the administration is silent on it,” he said.
The primary oral health care services have taken a hit due to inadequate facilities and poor manpower in rural hospitals like district hospitals, SDHs, CHCs and PHCs.
The unemployed dental surgeons have been struggling to find their means of living and many of them are leaving this noble profession to find their survival.
He said there are more than 10,000 Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) and around 2,000 Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) students in J&K who are unemployed due to lack of opportunities in the government sector despite the shortage of dental surgeons.
“Over the years, the young students who want to make their career in dentistry are not showing any interest to join the dental colleges due to lack certainty in jobs,” Koul said.
The unemployed dental graduates and post-graduates had suggested appointing posts of dental surgeons and b-grade consultants. “We are suffering from mental trauma due to unemployment. There has been no development and the government is not citing any genuine reason,” he said. An official of the health department said 90 percent of patient load is on public hospitals as oral health procedures are costly in the private sector as a result of which most of the patients end up seeking treatment from quacks thereby exposing them to risks. According to norms, there should be at least two dentists in a Sub-District Hospital and for a Primary Health Centre there must be a dental surgeon and an assistant.
A senior official of H&ME said there are no clear cut vacancies of dental surgeons in hospitals. The official admitted shortage of dental surgeons in the hospitals and said the department wants to create the posts on priority and also overhaul oral healthcare. He said any vacancy in the department shall be referred to the recruitment agency on priority.
