Community/Preventive dentistry is the dynamic field of dentistry which provides basic & advanced health knowledge like prevention of oral/dental diseases & awareness of oral hygiene in any population to an individual and group of people.
Community Dentistry is a basic science subject taught in the Second Professional year of BDS. The main purpose of the subject is to teach good oral hygiene & to spread health awareness in the public through organized community efforts, serving the community as a patient rather than as an individual. This course aims to stimulate interest and to encourage a questioning approach to dental health issues in the community and their relationship to clinical practice.
The curriculum provides the student with a broad range of knowledge and practical experience in the philosophy and basis of public dental health, primary health care approach, and an introduction to epidemiology of oral diseases as it relates to dental research, behavioral sciences, biostatistics and oral health services. The subject is essential to the practice of dentistry as it promotes an understanding of the sociology of oral health, oral health promotion and provision of oral health care and puts it into context within society and seeks to answer questions at a population level.