Agartala (Tripura) [India], March 23 : Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha on Sunday said that the Dental Council of India (DCI) has approved the state government to start the Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) programme in the Agartala Government Dental College, according to a CMO statement.
Saha said this while addressing a training programme for the Community Health Officers (CHO) of West Tripura, organized by the National Oral Health Programme wing of NHM in association with the IDA, Tripura State Branch, at Pragna Bhavan to commemorate World Oral Health Day 2025.
"I am the Chief Minister, but I should not forget my roots as a dental surgeon. We must handle patients with care. The condition of the health department was very bad, but now there has been a major change. We had never thought of opening a dental college. I tried a lot during the previous government before 2018, but they rejected it because I didn't belong to them. I worked hard for the dental college, and now we have opened it as a government dental college. The old style of practice in dentistry has ended, and we are now using new technologies. On this day, we must pledge to acquire all necessary knowledge and provide the best treatment to suffering patients," he said.
CM Saha mentioned that the number of oral cancer patients in the Northeast is very high due to the consumption of betel nuts and tobacco.
"In my Mukhyamantri Samipesu programme, a majority of the patients who come are cancer patients. We are working towards arranging a mobile van for dental treatment. For dental infrastructure, Rs. 200 crore was sanctioned under the PM DevINE project. We are also planning for MDS in the dental college," CM Saha said in a statement.
He further added, "The Dental Council of India has approved this, and we have already received the approval. We have also increased seat capacities and must think about further expansion with a proper plan. We are also introducing super speciality services--kidney transplants have already started, and liver transplants will also be conducted."
During the event, Health Secretary Kiran Gitte, Health Director Dr. Sanjib Debbarma, SM Ali, President of the Tripura State Dental Council, IDA State Branch President Partha Roy Chowdhury, and others were present.