Telangana: Nearly 20,000 dentists leave profession

HYDERABAD: Nearly 20,000 junior dentists do not have proper jobs and most of them have opted for alternative employment in information technology, event management, human resources and service sectors due to lack of opportunity. Dr Priyanka Marthitenni, a junior dentist, explained, “We have been lobbying for a year saying we are ready to work in the rural sector, public health centres and area hospitals but there is no response from the state government. They have recently stated that 17 posts of dentists will be filled. But there are more than 10,000 dentists who do not have a job.”

The call of President Pranab Mukherjee that dentists must practice in rural areas is accepted by these dentists but they want to go as government appointees only. A senior dentist in the city said, “Private clinics are not being set up in rural areas as there is very little awareness about oral health. In the rural areas, the belief is that a person must go to a dentist only when a tooth is to be removed.”

He said dentists needed to raise awareness on oral dental health, foul smell in the mouth, tooth decay, cavities and healthy gums. “This requires pumping in a lot of money and that is not possible for private players hence they are not interested,” he said. A junior dentist said that the dental chair which is mandatory Rs 15 lakh to Rs 20 lakh. This huge investment requires a constant flow of patients. And that is not possible in rural areas. Therefore, most dentists practise in Tier II and Tier III cities and not willing to go to the rural areas.”

Dr Neeraj Shah, a junior doctor, explained, “The government has to open up recruitment for rural areas so that there is job security. This will allow the district administration to create awareness among the masses. But that is not happening. The state government is not willing to take the burden and due to this reason the problem of oral health is neglected.”