Bhubaneswar: Out of the sanctioned 584 posts for dental surgeons in Odisha, 396 are currently filled while 188 remain lying vacant, Health & Family Welfare Minister Dr. Mukesh Mahaling informed the state assembly on Monday.
In a written reply to a question by Barabati-Cuttack MLA Sofia Firdous, the minister said that dental surgeons are posted at all District Headquarters Hospitals (DHHs), Sub-Divisional Hospitals (SDHs), and Community Health Centres (CHCs) across the state. However, no posts have been sanctioned for Primary Health Centres (PHCs), leaving them without dedicated dental surgeons.
The minister added that the government has requested the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) to recruit 124 dental surgeons, as per Health & FW Department letter No. 10152 dated April 7, 2025. In response, the OPSC has invited online applications from eligible candidates under Advertisement No. 7 of 2025-26.
Dr. Mahaling also highlighted that approximately 363 dental graduates pass out every year from government and private dental colleges in Odisha. These graduates are appointed to various health institutions in the state through the recruitment process conducted by OPSC.
