At the foothills of the Himalayas, where tradition and modernity often meet in complex ways, a group of professionals gathered recently to chart the future of a discipline that rarely makes the headlines — dentistry.
Dentavision 2025, organised by the Indian Dental Association (IDA) Kashmir Central Branch at Hotel Sarovar Premiere, Srinagar, was more than just another professional conference. It was a convergence of ideas, ambitions and anxieties, with one shared purpose: reimagining oral healthcare in Jammu & Kashmir.
Opening the summit, Prof. (Dr.) H. U. Malik urged dentists to look beyond fillings and extractions. Dentistry, he said, must embrace prevention, research, and entrepreneurship if it is to serve the region meaningfully. His words resonated with the young graduates in the hall, many of whom are grappling with unemployment and uncertainty about their careers.
The keynote address carried the theme further as Pirzada Farooq Ahmed Shah, IAS, MLA Gulmarg and former secretary of tourism and education, placed dentistry in the larger development story of J&K. Healthcare, education, and tourism, he stressed, are interconnected pillars of growth. With the right policies, Jammu & Kashmir can position itself as a hub for dental tourism, drawing patients from across the country. He commended IDA Kashmir for creating a platform that seamlessly combined scientific exchange with policy dialogue. The panel discussions brought out some of the most urgent concerns facing the profession.
Prof. (Dr.) Altaf Hussain Chalkoo, Professor & HOD, Oral Medicine & Radiology at Government Dental College Srinagar, said that dentistry in J&K cannot remain isolated from global trends. Digital radiology, AI-based diagnostics, and collaborative research are no longer optional but essential.
Prof. (Dr.) Mohammed Shakeel, Professor & HOD, Maxillofacial Surgery at SKIMS MCH Bemina, spoke frankly about the dilemmas of young graduates. Dentistry, he admitted, is highly competitive, but opportunities in implantology, cosmetic dentistry, forensic odontology, and craniofacial research are growing rapidly. Young professionals, he suggested, must broaden their skills and think beyond conventional practice.
For Ejaz Ayoub, research scholar in Economics at NIT Srinagar, the focus was on the economics of dentistry. A dental clinic, he explained, functions both as a healthcare unit and as a small business. Financial literacy, credit management, and entrepreneurial training must become part of dental education. Micro-financing, incubation hubs, and startup loans can help young practitioners set up independent clinics and reduce unemployment.
Ethics remained central to the debate. Dr. Sanjeet Singh Risam, head of dentistry at government medical college Anantnag, reminded the fraternity that technology and finance may open doors, but without ethical practice and patient trust, the profession risks losing its foundation.
The discussions, moderated by senior media professional Sardar Nasir Ali Khan and digital banker and anchor Saba Reshi, maintained a lively and probing tone. Young dentists questioned their seniors about job creation, specialisation, and financial support, while senior experts responded with guidance and candour.
Another highlight was the launch of The Oral Health Conversation, a quarterly newsletter of IDA Kashmir Central Branch. Organising Secretary Dr. Adil Malik explained that the newsletter would connect professionals across the Union Territory, share research and updates, and give young practitioners a platform to voice their ideas and challenges.
Amidst the optimism, sobering facts were also presented. Nearly 70 percent of the population in Jammu & Kashmir continues to suffer from untreated dental problems, a situation driven by low awareness, affordability issues, and weak access to rural healthcare.
Speakers stressed that oral health must be integrated into public health planning. Preventive care in schools, mobile dental clinics, and tele-dentistry, they said, can help bridge the gap between urban centres and remote villages. Without such measures, dentistry risks remaining an elite service, inaccessible to large sections of society.
The event proved to be transformative for younger attendees. For Dr. Nida Bhat, a recent graduate, the summit expanded her understanding of dentistry as a field that goes beyond clinical practice into research, entrepreneurship, and public service.
For Dr. Suhail Ahmad, the real value lay in networking and mentorship. Meeting senior practitioners who were willing to guide and support the younger generation gave him a sense of belonging to a professional community.
Faculty members, too, found themselves reflecting. Prof. (Dr.) Shazia Jan underscored the need to modernise dental education to keep pace with contemporary healthcare realities and prepare students for the challenges ahead.
Closing the proceedings, Dr. Adil Malik emphasised that Dentavision 2025 should not be remembered as a ceremonial gathering. Instead, it must mark the beginning of a sustained effort to transform dentistry in J&K. The summit, he said, had identified urgent challenges — unemployment among graduates, ethical lapses, and weak public awareness — but had also opened pathways for innovation and collaboration. Dentistry in J&K must now aim to be patient-centred, technologically modern, and globally competitive.
A Roadmap Emerges
2025 left its participants with both questions and clarity. Can dentistry become a viable career for J&K’s youth? Can oral health become part of the public health system? Can ethical practice withstand market pressures?
The consensus was clear: the time for transformation is now. With innovation, collaboration, and patient trust as guiding principles, oral healthcare in Jammu & Kashmir is poised for a decisive shift.
The author is a senior analyst in Kashmir, can be reached at [email protected]
Twitter/ X: @haniefmha
Future of Dentistry
By: Mohammad Hanief
