Dr. Hema B.S is currently serving as the professor and HoD of the Department of Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics at the Rishiraj College Of Dental Sciences And Research Centre. She pursued her BDS from YDC Mangalore, RGUHS in 2001 and MDS in conservative Dentistry & Endodontics from PMNM DCH, Bagalkot RGUHS in 2006. Her MDS thesis topic was Scanning electron microscopic evaluation of root canal surfaces prepared with three rotary endodontic systems; Lightspeed, ProTaper and Endowave. She has served as an Assistant professor in various colleges for 4 years and permanent professor at RCDS for 16 years. She has 12 research publications to her credit.

Rishiraj College Of Dental Sciences And Research Centre

You have held key positions at education institutes throughout your professional career. What keeps you connected with the education sector and how has your experience been so far with the institute?

The passion to teach keeps me connected with the education sector. I love sharing my knowledge and skills with my students. When they do good, the feeling is majestic. I have been teaching for the past 17 years, and for the past 13 years, I have been connected with this institute. My experience has been the best with this institute since they have provided the best resources, complete freedom to teach, and a positive environment to work in.

Being the HOD of the Department of conservative dentistry and Endodontics of RCDS , what are your roles and responsibilities towards the students?

Being the HOD of the department, my role is not limited to providing a good teaching environment to students but to overall shaping their behavior towards patients, how to conduct themselves, and managing different situations both professionally and personally.

Do you have any extracurricular activities/ programs to enhance the skills of the students or expose them to the real- world challenge?

For academic purposes, the institute conducts a lot of workshops and CDE Programs and also provides students with the opportunity to enroll in and attend conferences conducted by national and international dental societies.

For the physical and mental well-being of doctors, we conduct workshops related to yoga, meditation, the art of living, etc.

How does the curriculum of RCDS ensure that the students are being prepared for the future?

The curriculum at RCDS allows the students to have a deeper understanding of the subject so that they become skilled enough to deal with real-life challenges. Students are exposed to the most challenging cases and given free rein to perform under the guidance of experienced staff so that they become competent to deal with any situation.

How do you try to bring in a practical approach towards subjects and make it industry oriented?

Theoretical knowledge and practical skills go hand-in-hand. The students are made to work on phantom heads, extracted teeth, and patients. Clinical tips and tricks are always given to students.

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What are the intervention and approaches you bring in apart from curriculum to train/teach the students?

Students are exposed to regular workshops on the basics as well as advanced materials and techniques, which are conducted by experts in different branches of dentistry. They are provided with hands-on courses to develop their skills.

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

RCDS is one of the best institutes in central India, equipped with all the latest equipment and facilities. The institute always works for the student's and patients' well-being. We conduct community camps to educate people about oral health, run rural clinics to give emergency treatments, and believe in ethical practices.

What do you see as the greatest strengths of RCDS?

The greatest strength of RCDS lies in its teamwork, most experienced staff, easily available teachers and their guidance, positive environment, super-advanced arsenal, and different extracurricular activities for the overall development of students. The institute always works on improvement and focuses on the growth of students, staff, and patients.

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

I feel the education sector nowadays has turned more towards business. To keep it as noble a profession as it was is the best thing. Shaping a student's life and career in the best possible way should be the motto of any educational institute. The overall system should be more organized and work for the welfare of students.

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

Use all the facilities to the fullest. Wherever you are, make the best use of that place. The teachers you have are highly experienced and skilled; extract as much knowledge from them as you can. This is the best time to learn and grow.