Karnataka plans new Dental Council, expands rural oral care

Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil announces expansion of dental services to rural Karnataka, unveils plans for a new State Dental Council, and inaugurates South India’s tallest medical college flagpole at Victoria Hospital.

Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil on Saturday revealed that the Karnataka government is preparing major initiatives to strengthen oral healthcare access in rural areas. Speaking at the Dentists’ Summit – 2025, hosted by the Indian Dental Association in Bengaluru, the Minister said that while dentistry has huge potential to provide quality services, rural outreach remains a major challenge.

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To address this gap, he announced that the government will set up a dedicated Karnataka Dental Council, functioning in line with the National Dental Commission, to streamline regulation and service delivery. He emphasized that this move, coupled with broader infrastructure support, will help bridge the disparity between urban and rural access to dental care.

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Marking a symbolic milestone, the Minister also inaugurated a 108-foot-high tricolour flagpole at Victoria Hospital, funded by the 1986 batch of students as part of the hospital’s 125th anniversary celebrations. The towering flag is the tallest at any medical college in South India and the third tallest in India, after AIIMS New Delhi and AFMC Pune.

Further enhancing medical facilities, the Minister inaugurated three modular operation theatres at Vani Vilas Hospital, a step aimed at strengthening healthcare infrastructure in Bengaluru.

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The announcements, blending healthcare reforms with symbolic gestures of pride, highlight Karnataka’s twin focus on expanding medical access and modernising institutions.

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