It is with a sense of nostalgia of one of the best periods of my life that I write about my time at GDC Nagpur for not only did I meet my spouse here, I had the privilege of being taught by stalwarts of dentistry in my P. G. such as Dr. H. S. Dhooria in Oral Medicine Diagnosis and Radiology and Dr. D. S. Gupta in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
I joined my Alma Mater in 1982, completed my graduation in 1986, my first PG in Oral Medicine Diagnosis and Radiology in 1989 and my second PG in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in 1992. My teachers included Dr. A. T. Bibiji, Dr. Vinay Hazare, Dr. Pushpa Hazare, Dr. R. Y. Mandlik, Dr. Kharat, Dr. Dolas and Dr. Modi. Their teachings guide my clinical practice today and I continue their tradition with my students. These teachings, I would like to say, were relevant not only then, but are becoming more and more relevant as time passes. I remember I was once told that my clinical judgement should not need the corroboration of a pathology report and today not only does it not most usually, I insist the same with my students.
During my last visit to my college, I was overjoyed with immense elevation in the standards of training that now exist here. My peers who have taken the responsibility of imparting dental education at the dental college are doing an excellent job. The modern is well balanced with tradition implying that patient care has progressed at pace with technology along with training in dentistry.
The public interface of the college has improved over the years with the inclusion of the department of Public Health Dentistry which recently conducted an oral health awareness, screening and treatment event. Such programs must be increasing the volume and variety of clinical material available to the college thus increasing the level of training for students, benefitting society by way of dental services and ultimately providing competent dentists to society. This is reflected in the magnitude of the number of patients who have been treated here : over 10 million.
Cultural life on the campus has become all the more lively. Now dental education is also entwined with cultural activities and a number of CDE program have been conducted. Everything about such a campus is commendable.
Reminiscing days spent at one’s alma mater is always nostalgic. Everyone thinks that their’s were special. I wish to submit that mine were too.
