Uncertainty looms large over postgraduate dental students

Hyderabad: The Covid-19 pandemic, which has adversely affected the dental practice, is also expected to have an impact on the postgraduate students as they stare towards an uncertain future.
Dentistry has become a high-risk career clinics have seen decline in footfall after the coronavirus outbreak.
Dr Afrah Fatima, a post-graduate student of Panineeya Dental College in Dilsukhnagar said, “With dentists highly susceptible to Covid-19, the postgraduates passing out this year after a rigorous three-year training in various fields are worried about the future.”
“Will we be able to support ourselves or our families? It is beyond doubt that Covid-19 will have a tremendous impact on the lives of young dentists,” added Fatima.
The postgraduates, utilizing the time to prepare for their final examinations, are concerned about the post-lockdown scenario. “Surge in dental procedure prices appears imminent as dentists will now have to use new PPEs for every patient. Most of the revenue is from cosmetic treatments will be off the table for another six months. Hence, the revenue cycle is hampered, which will have a direct impact on our jobs,” said Dr Sami Ahmed, a post graduate student of Sri Sai College of dental surgery.
Speaking to TOI, Dr K Mahendranadh Reddy, professor and HoD, prosthodontist and implantologyst, said, “The current situation will not have a major impact on the industry but those who want to do private practice should be prepared for a slowdown.”