Dental education in India traces its roots to Dr. R. Ahmed Dental College and Hospital, previously Culcutta dental college established in 1920 by Dr. Rafiuddin Ahmed in Kolkata. Despite this early start, West Bengal’s current dental education landscape presents a contrast between historical significance and present-day infrastructure, especially when compared to southern states such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.
West Bengal, one of India’s most populous states, currently has only seven registered dental colleges. This number is relatively low considering its population size and geographic scale. It has approximately 9,807 registered dentists, along with 301 practitioners listed under Part B of the Dentists Act, indicating a relatively limited professional workforce for its population size.
With a population density of 1,028 persons per square kilometre and only three government and 3 private dental colleges, the state continues to face constraints in expanding public dental education and training infrastructure.
In comparison, Kerala has a smaller population and area but has 27 dental colleges. Similarly, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka host a significantly higher number of institutions, including several nationally ranked colleges.
The disparity highlights uneven regional development in dental education infrastructure across India.
Another notable observation is that no dental colleges in West Bengal currently feature in the top 40 of the National Institutional Ranking Framework rankings, even the first dental college of the country.
Southern states consistently dominate these rankings due to:
Better infrastructure
Higher faculty-to-student ratios
Stronger clinical exposure
Research output and institutional funding
The situation in Northeast India reflects a similar challenge. Across the seven northeastern states, there are only six dental colleges, Assam – 3 colleges, Tripura and Manipur – 1 each and these states depend on West Bengal for higher education.
Several states in the region have no dental colleges at all, indicating limited access to dental education and training facilities.
Multiple factors contribute to the uneven distribution of dental colleges:
Southern states have historically encouraged private investment in healthcare education, leading to rapid expansion.
Availability of attached hospitals and patient inflow plays a critical role in dental training quality.
Research funding, faculty availability, and postgraduate opportunities influence institutional growth.
Institutions in eastern and northeastern regions are often concentrated in a few urban centers, limiting broader accessibility.
West Bengal holds a unique place in the history of dental education in India, yet its current infrastructure does not reflect that legacy. With only seven dental colleges and no presence in top national rankings, the state lags behind southern counterparts. A similar pattern is observed in Northeast India, where limited institutional presence affects access and capacity. These disparities highlight the need for balanced regional development in dental education to meet the growing demand for oral healthcare professionals.
References
Dental Council of India. n.d. “Dentist Registered.” Accessed April 26, 2026. https://dciindia.gov.in/DentistRegistered.aspx.
Dental Council of India. n.d. “College Search.” Accessed April 26, 2026. https://dciindia.gov.in/CollegeSearch.aspx?ColName=&CourseId=1&SplId=0&StateId=&Hospital=&Type=0&Status=--Select--
Santhosh, Varkey Nadakkavukaran, Arshad Ahmed, Rhea Vas, S. R. Apoorva, U. Venkatesh, and Vaibhav Kumar. 2025. “Geographic Distribution of Affordable Dental Care Services through Educational Institutes in India: A National Level GIS-Based Mapping Study.” Journal of Oral Biology and Craniofacial Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobcr.2025.07.021.
