
The Department of Public Health Dentistry adopts a Holistic Approach in rendering services to both the Urban and Rural Population. It strives to enhance the Oral Health of the Community by training the budding Dentists to render Preventive and Treatment Oral Health Care services especially in the rural areas. Since the inception of the Department in 1988, several health programs have been conducted, such as Oral Health and General Health awareness programs, Oral screening and Treatment camps comprising of Diagnosis, Oral Prophylaxis, Restorations, Extractions and Prosthodontic Rehabilitations on a regular basis to facilitate Oral Health Promotion.
The following are the Research thrust areas of the Department
The Department takes pride in managing 18 of the 21 Rural Satellite Dental Centres of Nitte (Deemed to be University) which are located in districts of Kodagu, Chickmagalur, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and North Kerala. These centres provide a complete spectrum of treatment from Diagnosis to Complete Prosthodontic Rehabilitation with specialty treatment provided free of cost. The Department conducts various Outreach Programs on regular basis like the community oral health program, School dental health program including oral health education, Oral and dental treatment camps for rural and semi urban population. The Department also conducts House to House Survey and Assessment of Oral health status of the community. As of February 2020, 13,59,263 individuals have benefitted from the Oral Health Services provided through the Rural Satellite centres and 4,46,069 have benefitted from the Outreach Programs.