A tiny hill station in Himachal Pradesh, Kasauli is blessed with lush surroundings, and the pleasant weather makes it a destination that can be visited all- year round. Located on the foothills of Kasauli range, Bhojia Dental College & Hospital has a sprawling campus spreading over more than 8 acres of land in a village called Budh, near Baddi, one of the biggest Industrial towns of Himachal Pradesh. The lush-green campus of Bhojia Dental College and Hospital is well equipped with advanced teaching aids, wi-fi connectivity, and equipment needed to conduct cutting-edge dental studies. The college block consists of ultra-modern lecture theatres with audiovisual learning systems.
“We are the first and only dental college to be accredited with NAAC in the state of Himachal Pradesh. This ensures quality in both education and patient treatment,” says Vikram Bhojia, Secretary, Bhojia Dental College and Hospital. The college is duly approved and recognized by the Dental Council of India, New Delhi, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, New Delhi and affiliated to H.P. University, Shimla for its various courses. At present, Bhojia Dental College & Hospital offers Bachelor of Dental Surgery (B.D.S.), Master of Dental Surgery (M.D.S.) in Orthodontics, Prosthodontics, Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics, Pedodontics, Periodontics, Oral Pathology, and courses in Dental Hygienist and Dental Mechanics.
A Platform for Practical Learning
The pandemic and the closure of educational institutions have affected the continuity of learning. However, Bhojia Dental College and Hospital has been quick to adopt the online mode of teaching to ensure that their students do not miss the much-needed lessons. “All the theory and practical demonstrations are being carried via online platforms by our expert and well-experienced faculty. In our hospital, we have been following all the guidelines issued by the Centre and State Government, which include the formulation of the triage area, use of P.P.E. kits, regular sanitization of all departments, emergency treatment of patients visiting the hospital and so on,” shares Dr Tarun Kalra, Principal, Bhojia Dental College and Hospital.
Bhojia Dental Hospital is an integral part of the college for clinical training of students. “At the hospital, we provide every type of dental treatment, including major surgeries, dentures, ceramic crowns, gum treatment, restorative treatment, O.P.G., and Orthodontics treatments. Besides, the hospital section has a full-fledged community service department with a well-equipped Mobile Dental Van. So, we regularly organize camps at villages and schools covering remote areas,” explains Vikram Bhojia. Bhojia Dental College and Hospital is also empanelled with E.S.I. and H.P. Government, which allows an abundant inflow of patients. The college and hospital will soon be undergoing NABH accreditation as well to add another feather in its cap.
Making Future-Ready Dentists
“Our institute is a post-graduate institution which includes research and innovations. As part of the post-graduate curriculum, all doctors must complete a dissertation which mostly includes research,” Dr Tarun Kalra. Some of the ongoing research projects of Bhojia Dental College and Hospital are the study of the latest dental filling materials, assessment age estimation, assessment of materials used in the field of Prosthodontics for making complete dentures, FPD’s. Dr Tarun Kalra adds, “We have also included students in very recent advances like Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (3-D CBCT) and Implants, which is considered to be the latest innovation of dentistry of all times.”
Bhojia Dental College and Hospital has collaboration with most of the finest manufacturing industries in the field of dental supplies. Vikram Bhojia affirms, “Our partnerships with the dental equipment manufactures help us in getting the latest materials and instruments to teach the budding dentists. Thus, our students will be future-ready with all the latest updates in the field of dentistry.” To keep the knowledge of the students updated, the institute has tied-up with foreign universities in Malaysia, Japan, Canada, and the U.S.A. A few selected students of Bhojia Dental College and Hospital will get a chance to visit universities from these countries as observers and get to learn dentistry that is happening world around.
Fine-Tuning the Future Dental Professionals
To stimulate students to work harder and focus on career, Bhojia Dental College and Hospital regularly conducts C.D.E. programs where a renowned speaker from across the country deliver lectures to students. Moreover, the college faculty members take counselling session and focus on the weakness of students. Dr Tarun Kalra shares, “The students are assigned mentors who focus on a group of students. They take care of the problems faced by the students and ensure all that every issue is resolved.” Although students with the problem can contact the mentors at any point of time, the institute conducts review meeting of students and staff every fortnight. “The doctors from each department focus on work of each student and ensure that they are given guidance in every possible way,” assures Vikram Bhojia.
Today, the majority of the students graduating from Bhojia Dental College and Hospital opt to open their own practice, mostly in their hometowns. While a few students pursue higher studies in India, some opt for higher education in foreign countries and some crack entrance test and get a government as a dental officer in civil hospital, army dental corps and so on. “We encourage and guide students to apply for higher studies in foreign universities. Now, some of our alumni members are working as faculties in foreign dental colleges, and some have secured government jobs,” says Dr Tarun Kalra.
Over the years, Bhojia Dental College and Hospital Our college has produced many meritorious students. Most of its students are university toppers. “We intend to undergo NABH inspection shortly, which would uplift the status of the college to new heights. Besides, we have plans to include more foreign universities from Australia, New Zealand and many other countries, as a part of our student exchange program,” concludes Vikram Bhojia.