The department of Public Health Dentistry often combines direct patient care with work focusing on population-level health. Dental public health is involved in the assessment of key dental health needs and coming up with effective solutions to improve the dental health of populations rather than individuals. Dental public health looks beyond the role of a dental practitioner in treating dental disease, and seeks to reduce demand on health care systems by redirection of resources to priority areas. Services are provided to patients in underserved areas or those who could not afford dental care otherwise with the main objective being prevention of oral diseases and promotion of oral health. The public health dentistry branch is also involved in community based activities like community water fluoridation, school-based dental screenings, oral cancer screenings, and educational efforts to promote good oral hygiene.

The department of Public Health Dentistry at GITAM Dental College and Hospital was established in the year 2001 providing undergraduate training for BDS students and house-surgeons. The Department from its inception has been committed to promoting dental care through excellence in teaching the art of prevention. The activities of the department include:

• Various outreach programs are being regularly conducted for the poor, needy and inaccessible sections of the society alongside the masses with due concern to special care groups like school children and differently abled individuals.
• At these outreach programs, simple treatments are provided for free of cost with the help of a well-equipped, fully functional and state-of-the-art Mobile Dental Unit specially designed to target remote areas.
• Provision has been made for referral of the patients requiring advanced care to the institution at subsidized rates.
• The department has been actively involved in providing education, awareness, and counseling regarding oral health care, and also rendering comprehensive treatment to the patients attending the department.
• The department has a well equipped Tobacco Rehabilitation Centre established in 2013 providing counseling for subjects to quit tobacco consumption in any form.
• Satellite centres (2 in number) are also attached to the department providing comprehensive care at these centres for free of cost. Regular screening and treatment visits are made to these centers for ensuring incorporation of oral health care in the existing health infrastructure with due consideration to rural exposure to the graduating interns.
• The department also has an oral health education museum containing a plethora of health education materials, models, charts, portraits and exhibits contributed by the undergraduate students as their project works.
• The faculty of the department has been actively engaged in conducting 2-days Workshop on “Research Methodology and Introduction to Biostatistics” for the postgraduate students of the college.
• 3rd and 4th BDS students posted in the department are trained for diagnosing and recording various oral diseases like dental caries, gingivitis, periodontitis, trauma, malocclusion, fluorosis, wasting diseases, oral mucosal lesions and prosthetic status with the help of indices. The students are also trained for planning comprehensive treatment plan and application of preventive procedures like pit and fissure sealants and topical fluoride applications.
• The house-surgeons posted in the department are expected to organize free dental camps in and around Visakhapatnam. The patients referred from these camps are provided comprehensive treatment in the department.
• The faculty has immensely promoted the conduct of numerous research studies especially epidemiological surveys among the house-surgeons for scientific publications and presentations at various state, regional and national conferences.

The department is also involved in observing and celebrating special days of the year pertaining to oral and general health.

• On World No Tobacco Day (31st May), an awareness rally is conducted on the road, along with skits performed by students in the campus and pamphlets distributed for the general population and subjects visiting Dental college and Hospital.
• On National Public Health Dentistry Day (19th June), free dental camp is organized and quiz related to specialty subject is conducted for 4th BDS students and house surgeons.
• On National Oral Hygiene Day (1st August), free dental camp is organized and road side skit delivering the importance of oral health and maintenance of oral hygiene is performed.

Specific competencies

• Apply the principles of health promotion and disease prevention.
• Have knowledge of the organization and provision of health care in community and in the hospital service.
• Have knowledge of the prevalence of common dental conditions in India.
• Have knowledge of community based preventive measures.
• Have knowledge of the social, cultural and env. Factors which contribute to health or illness.
• Administer and hygiene instructions, topical fluoride therapy and fissure sealing.
• Educate patients concerning the aetiology and prevention of oral disease and encourage them to assure responsibility for their oral health.