A Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree is required in order to go on to become a dentist in India. The length of the program is generally about five years (four years of classes, and one year thereafter dedicated to a compulsory rotating internship). The cost of the program varies depending on the institution one attends, but at a private college the fees are generally considerably higher, around 10 to 12 lakh, while studying at a government medical college is usually much lower.
Students interested in pursuing a BDS degree in India must be at least 17 years of age at time of admission, and are required to complete the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC), or 10+2 exam, in the science stream, with biology, chemistry, physics, and English, with a minimum of 50 percent marks in each course. Admission requirements vary between institutions and only about 15,000 students are admitted annually. It is also important to get a high rank in the entrance examination.