Dr. Anil Singla is the Director of Himachal Dental College. He holds an Bachelor of Dental Science degree from Dental Wing Govt. Dental College, Patiala followed up with a Master of Dental Science degree from KGMC, Lucknow. Dr. Singla has over 40 years of experience as a doctor, educator and now as the Director of Himachal Dental College.

Himachal Dental College

You have held key positions at education institutes throughout your professional career. What are the key factors that keep you connected with the education sector?

I believe that because of the constant evolving nature of our specialization and deep inclination towards academics keeps me and my colleagues connected with this sector. I am involved in spreading knowledge and educating students over the years about recent innovations in our field keeps me rooted in academics. Moreover, having a flexible approach towards different students and always looking for new ideas makes the learning process interesting and keeps the faculty members growing throughout the years.

Being the Director, what is your philosophy of leadership? How would you describe your leadership style?

All of us at Himachal Dental College believe in the philosophy that “Leaders do not create followers, they create more leaders”. It is important to encourage staff and students to pursue activities that benefit their professional growth. At our college, we believe that we are a team. A team that works together, stays together. It helps to be empathetic and listen to the problems of the staff and students which is, to me, the key. I also involve them in providing solutions which is an important factor so that everyone feels involved and contributes towards the success of the team.

Being the Director of Himachal Dental College, how do you strategize about the key programs and plans for the marketing and administration of your school?

Our key programmes are always discussed with the concerned team and planned well in advance with contingency management planning always in mind. The best way to market the institution is through our students and their features on various social media platforms with print media. This promotes the college and our courses best and caters to the future growth of the students.

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The education systems in India and other foreign countries are structured very differently. In your experience, what can an inbound student gain from studying here in your institute/ university/ school?

There are significant differences between the education systems in India and abroad. According to me, inbound students to HDC can gain from the flexibility in our academic programmes. Students can tailor the courses to fit their interests. Our faculty members are highly experienced and give the utmost support to the students. Both students and faculty members regularly attend seminars, workshops and lectures at both the international and national levels. 

We regularly invite various international speakers to broaden the horizons of students. Our teaching methodologies are at par with international standards and this is evident from our students scoring top positions at the university level, every year. An inbound student can be assured of having various publications to his name and have the opportunity to explore ideas that can lead to patents, trademarks and copyrights.

How does the curriculum of XYZ College/University ensure the best practice of industry?

The curriculum at Himachal Dental College has been designed for students to be prepared for best practices in the industry. The curriculum has been made in accordance with DCI norms and rules. We constantly update the courses to reflect the latest evidence-based guidelines. Our college also promotes ethical and clinical research and follows patient-centric treatment modalities.

Any insights into how your university could be more welcoming to students of different races or economic backgrounds?

We are an established college with a dynamic student population belonging to different races and economic backgrounds. All of our students have mentors who are responsible for their overall well-being. They conduct regular meetings with the students guide them and provide any assistance necessary. The entire management and administration team is always on hand to help our students.

The institute recognizes and rewards the students for their meritorious achievements in academics. These act as incentives and as encouragement for meritorious students who have achieved high ranks. We give special scholarships to students from economically backward families in the form of partial waivers in tuition fees.

What do you think your roles and responsibilities to the University and the students are?

We believe that as the Director and faculty of Himachal Dental College, it is our utmost duty to make the staff and students believe that they are a part of the team. As leaders, we encourage, motivate and guide them to achieve their best possible every day. Another important factor, towards this regard, is acknowledging their achievements and giving them credit regularly. It needs to be ensured that communication and paperwork with the university is done within the stipulated deadlines and any communication received by the university is assigned top priority.

What do you think should be the University’s top priority over the next 10 years?

I think, our top priority, over the next 10 years, should be to continue providing students with premium quality dental education. Our courses must be at par with global standards so that they are as competitive as their international counterparts. Students must be encouraged to participate in research publications and earn patents, trademarks and copyrights over the next ten years. There must also be a host of extracurricular activities that support soft skill development among the students.

When you first came to Himachal Dental College, what was your vision for the university? Has it evolved over time, and how far along in implementing that vision are you?

When I look back, I can see that we have come a long way. We have evolved manifolds over the years and achieved quite a bit. In the initial years, the college was a mere two-floor building with only undergraduate courses on offer. Later on, it expanded to include postgraduate courses as well. As the course offering increased so did our infrastructure develop remarkably. Today, we are well versed in technology like advanced dental imaging (C.B.C.T.), surgical procedures under an operating microscope, aesthetic surgeries and many more. Additionally, we have tied up with AMRU and HP University. We even have on-site camps to broaden the vision of students by conducting patient outreach programmes.

What would you like people to know about your College they may not know?

Everyone at Himachal Dental College takes our rejections and failures with pride. We deal with the situation as a team and work hard to eliminate the same silently. Due to the effort made, we take pride in our success and showcase it to the world proudly.

We consider every person in our team an important member of HDC. When students pass out from the college, they are most welcome to visit anytime and even though they may be out of sight, they are never forgotten.

What do you see as College’s greatest strengths?

The college’s greatest strength lies in our team mentality, as I have mentioned above. We tackle problems and come up with solutions together. We believe as the college grows, so should each student and faculty member. The success of HDC can be solely attributed to us working together on our shortcomings and making each member feel included and important.

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What are some of the biggest challenges you see, both for higher education in general and HDC specifically?

The biggest challenge for our college is motivation among the students. Our courses are tough and most BDS graduates tend not to opt for higher education. We put in considerable effort, to encourage our graduates to opt for postgraduation courses by teaching them the benefits of a higher education. Students also learn how to manage stress and handle both professional and personal lives. It is also a challenge for us to create a friendly and emotionally healthy environment for the students where they thrive.

Any suggestions you would like to give to the current youth and the aspiring students?

Students must remember that failure is temporary. With the right mindset, they can achieve any goal they desire. Moreover, it is not the size of their goal that matters, but their willpower to achieve the goal. We have all the resources and the right faculty members in our college that will help the students to reach their goals.

What are some plans that you’re currently (or will be) designing for HDC international affairs and/or students?

The institution is planning to develop a dedicated international affairs division shortly. We also intend to develop a short course for international and non-local students that is meant to introduce them to common terminologies used in the local language. This has been done to help the students communicate effectively with their patients and locals. Students are also assigned a mentor who shall be assisting them with their apprehensions and doubts. We make it a point to have our mentors be fluent in their native language for better communication.

How do you tend to establish a healthy relation and environment in your institute/university?

HDC strives to create a healthy environment on campus by making every individual feel included in the problem-solving process. We try to patiently listen to their queries and address them to the best of our abilities. We believe that the mentor-mentee relationship is important and must be taken care of for all involved parties to be happy. We also teach our faculty members to be empathetic within the confines of professionalism as it helps in building long-lasting relationships with the team. Student representation is essential to our communication process so we take their feedback and perspectives regularly.