Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Aug 8: In a region where public health remains a critical concern, hundreds of qualified dental surgeons continue to languish without employment for last about 16 years-despite possessing degrees, skills and a strong willingness to serve.
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Sources told Excelsior that around 6,000 dental surgeons are registered in Jammu and Kashmir, of which approximately 5,500 remain unemployed. Each year, more than 300 new graduates-about 200 from J&K and 100 from outside-add to this growing pool of jobless professionals.
While there are around 15,000 sanctioned posts for medical doctors in J&K, the number of posts for dental surgeons remains staggeringly low at around 550. “A large section of the population, particularly in rural areas, continues to lack proper access to dental healthcare services, despite the implementation of various health schemes in the Union Territory,” sources lamented.
A glimmer of hope had emerged with the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) including the issue in its 2024 election manifesto. Prominently shared by party leader Omar Abdullah on social media, the promise of “time-bound recruitment of dental surgeons” rekindled aspirations. But the pressing question remains: how many more years must they wait?
The issue of dental surgeon recruitment has now stretched over 16 years, marked by stagnation, broken promises, and persistent Governmental neglect. Since the last major recruitment drive in 2008, no significant Government-level hiring has taken place. As a result, countless qualified professionals have been left jobless-many forced to switch careers, migrate out of the region, or abandon dentistry altogether due to the lack of opportunities.
The emotional and financial toll on these professionals is immeasurable. While the Government continues to invest in medical infrastructure, dental services remain grossly underutilized, and oral health indicators are steadily declining-especially in rural and semi-urban areas. All the while, an entire generation of trained dental surgeons is being wasted.
Over the years, successive governments have issued statements of intent-often timed around elections-regarding dental surgeon recruitment, but these rarely materialize into actual job creation. This ongoing negligence not only crushes the dreams of aspiring professionals but also reflects a deeper failure in health policy implementation.
If recruitment continues to be deferred, the Government risks losing a trained workforce permanently due to brain drain and professional burnout. In a region already grappling with disparities in healthcare access, this is a public health crisis in the making.
It is high time the Government moves beyond manifestos and delivers on its promises. The people of J&K deserve better healthcare and the dental surgeons deserve fair and timely employment opportunities. A transparent, institutionalized recruitment policy with yearly intake-akin to other medical cadres-must be implemented without further delay.
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