Oral Pathology is a branch of Dental Sciences, which deals with the recognition, nature and management of diseases affecting the maxillofacial and oral regions. In other words, a science examines the reasons and effects of these diseases affecting the oral health of the patients. MDS Oral Pathology is a three-year PG course in dentistry being offered by a number of colleges in India.

The state-wise list of Government Colleges offering MDS Oral Pathology course in India is given below:

West Bengal:

• Dr. Ahmed Dental College & Hospital, Kolkata

Tamil Nadu:

• Tamil Nadu Government Dental College & Hospital, Chennai

Pondicherry:

• Mahatma Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences, Gorimedu

Orissa:

• Dental Wing, SCB Medical College, Cuttack

Maharashtra:

• Nair Hospital Dental College, Mumbai

• Government Dental College & Hospital, Aurangabad

• Government Dental College & Hospital, Nagpur

• Government Dental College & Hospital, Mumbai

Kerala:

• Government Dental College, Medical Campus, Thirvanthapuram

• Dental College, Medical Campus, Kozhikode

Karnataka:

• Government Dental College, Bangalore

Gujarat:

• Government Dental College & Hospital, Ahmadabad

Goa:

• Goa Dental College & Hospital, Bambolim

Syllabus of MDS Oral Pathology Course:

MDS Oral Pathology students are offered with clinical, practical and theoretical courses in the aforesaid colleges that are approved by the Dental Council of India. As per the guidance of DCI, the following subjects are covered under MDS Oral Pathology Course:

• Study of techniques and principles of oral biopsy and oral cytology procedures

• Recent developments in the fields of oral microbiology and oral pathology

• Forensic Dentistry

• Oral identification of changes in the soft tissues, which includes study of fundamental clinical changes and their contribution towards oral and dental diseases with respect to oral pathology

• Oral microbiology and its correlation to different branches of dentistry

• Study of oral regions or special pathology and relation of clinical findings and local pathologic to systematic conditions

• Histopathologic and advanced study of oral tissues and dental tissues inclusive of embryologic consideration

• Study of principles of special and routine techniques used for histopathology inclusive of principles of histochemistry with respect to oral pathology

What is the work of an Oral Pathologist?

Candidates who have completed their MDS in Oral Pathology are called as Oral Maxillofacial Pathologists or Oral Pathologists are specialists in the diagnosis of facial and dental cavity diseases. Whenever, a general dentist finds some chronic condition during routine examination of a patient, he/she might remove a portion of affected tissue and send it to the Oral Pathologist for further examination. Therefore, it is the work of Oral Pathologist to identify if the tissue possibly infectious or cancerous.

Future scope of MDS Oral Pathology professionals:

According to a study, the number of practicing oral pathologists in the United States is very low and this is the same in the case of other countries as well. Therefore, there is a higher demand for these professionals not only in India, but in other countries as well, which ensures that they can find very good job opportunities with higher pay package.