Sir, I read with interest the letter by Samuel regarding the dental profession in India.1 I would like to add my serious concerns regarding this issue. Dental undergraduates are preferring clinical sciences such as orthodontics, conservative dentistry, endododontics and prosthodontics with less enthusiasm for non-clinical specialties such as oral pathology and microbiology, oral medicine, radiology and public health dentistry for postgraduate education. Consquently, private dental colleges in India are planning to close postgraduate education in non-clinical dental subjects. After gaining recognition for undergraduate and postgraduate courses, they then remove their teaching staff abruptly leading to vacant staff positions for a considerable time.2

The Dental Council of India have also implemented continuing dental education points which is mandatory for undergraduates and postgraduates without analysing the present situation of the dental profession in India.3

The Government should not entertain proposals to start new dental colleges without adequate dental manpower and infrastructure for the next ten years. Oral health policy needs to be implemented as a priority in India, with an emphasis on strengthening dental care services under public health facilities.4 It may be inferred that the current situation of the dental profession is because of poor implementation of government public health policies and not because of a lack of dental professionals in India.4